Lies that Destroy
by Nature9000
Summary: When Gabe stumbles across a woman who shares his many features, an old nightmare returns, and the three eldest kids learn a terrible secret about their lives. Can they uncover the truth? Can they cope, or will the terrible lies destroy them?
1. Disconnected

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N: This idea was set to be a oneshot inspired by the episode in which Gabe went to the amusement park and shot that commercial. The quote "She looks more like my mother than you do", along with the similar features, made me look it up and I found out that the actor playing Gabe, his _actual_ mother played the mom for that commercial. The oneshot idea has turned into a story, which I am certain has never been done before, I know you'll enjoy it! Starts out, a dream.

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Chapter 1 (Disconnected)

_The moon shone down upon a baby's wide-eyed face, just days into the world. Beside the baby, its twin rested in its own crib at the medical hospital. The infant pressed its hand against the glass, making eye contact with its twin, who also placed its hand upon the glass. The infants that surrounded them slept soundly in the quiet nursery. The infants would make their way home the next day to be with their mom and dad, and their first time being out of the hospital. _

_ The silent, dark room was broken by the creaking of the door, the infant squirmed and looked about, seeing only flashes of the room. There was one familiar feminine voice with an unfamiliar male voice, the infant recognized the female as someone that had been around its mommy when he first entered the world. "We already have two," the woman complained. "I know we got married, we said we'd have three kids, but…"_

_ "Then we'll reach three. If we can't have children of our own, this has been working."_

_ "Kidnapping? Kidnapping has been working?" The infant didn't understand what the two were saying, but he had an incredible sense of danger. The couple argued for a moment more, then the woman gave an exasperated sigh. "Fine. The woman gave birth on the 23rd. Please let this be the last one."_

_ "Relax, it will be the last one, three's our limit, no more. I promise."_

_ "What if we get caught?"_

_ "We haven't been caught yet. It's risky, but this will be our final one." The infant saw his twin with its eyes closed and chest moving in and out in the rhythm of sleep. The couple made their way around the twin's crib._

_ "Look sweetie, so beautiful…Only one of the twins, okay? Let's leave this mom with at least one."_

_ "Fine, grab the baby and let's go." Seeing the woman reaching into the twin's crib, the sense of danger flared up and it immediately began bawling to try and alert anyone for help. If it cried loud enough, it could wake the other infants. "Crap! The other one's started crying! Grab that one instead." _

_ "Oh…" The infant shrieked as the couple grabbed it up out of the crib. The walls flashed past its eyes as a husky hand cupped its face. Before the couple started to leave, the twin heard one last, long, mournful cry from its sibling. The other infants in the room started to wake and cry, but it was far too late. _

Gabe awoke in a sweat, panting heavily and scared out of his mind. He sat up and moaned as he ran his hands in front of his face. This was the same nightmare he had been having for years, they'd gone away until recently. He never understood them, why the nightmare was there, but it always ended the same. Someone came like a thief in the night, about to grab one of the two babies, then grabbing the other baby to silence it, and finally running off.

His heart was shooting off every pump like a gun blasting off a bullet, he was almost certain that he would die of a heart attack. When the nightmare started coming to him after Charlie's birth, he would always check to make sure she was okay. The nightmares went away again, so he thought he was in the clear. He turned his eyes to the nightlight beside his bed and wrapped his blanket around his shivering body. He'd been afraid of the dark since before he could remember. Hell, his oldest memory was being pushed on the swing by his older brother whenever he was four, PJ would have been nine. In that memory, Teddy was playing with her dolls in the dirt nearby.

For some reason, he trusted them more than anyone else, including his own parents. However, he seemed to have more of a reason to not trust them than he did before, and that was a reason he just could not explain.

_"Hey, you look more like my mother than she does…"_

Gabe clenched his eyes shut and groaned as he threw his blanket off. He slowly rose up and moved into the bathroom. He stared at himself in the mirror, his eyes had dark circles beneath them, and his face was pale and clammy to the touch. He grasped at his sweat drenched brown hair and breathed in slowly. "Why don't I look like them?"

He never gave any thought to it until the trip to Super Adventure Land, which he wasn't sure if he regretted or not. They had to do a commercial, in which his mother was _going_ to be a participant in, but she was too attention-craving, and was replaced. That's where the strange part began.

His mother started acting _more_ dramatic than usual, as if she were trying to distract him, or the woman, from something. When the woman they replaced her with came up, Amy seemed to recognize her from somewhere, while the woman kept looking at her, as if trying to place a face with a memory.

That woman truly did look more like his mother than Amy, though. She had the brown hair, which only he had in this family. Although, Teddy's hair was nowhere near as blonde as their mother's was. He also noticed several remarkable features.

Gabe ran his index finger along his jaw and scrunched his eyebrows together. That woman had the same flat jaw, the same dimple in her jaw and her cheeks. His eyes were the only brown eyes in the family, though Teddy's were hazel and PJ's were blue. The woman he saw had brown eyes, like his, as well as the same cheekbones, and the same eyebrows. Even her nose was pointed in the same way as his! If he didn't know any better, he would say that woman was his true mother, but that didn't make any sense, did it? Amy was his mother, they would have told him if he were adopted.

No, there had to be a relative with brown hair somewhere in the family. Then again, what of that nightmare? Did he have a twin that was abducted from the hospital?

"Gabe?" He jumped back at the sound of his sister's voice, and moved out of his bathroom. PJ and Teddy were standing side by side in the doorway, both in their sleepwear. Or at least, PJ had thrown on a black robe, as he usually slept in his boxers. "Are you okay? We heard you screaming."

"How? You're all the way in the basement."

"I was in the kitchen, getting a snack. I heard you screaming, rushed up-"

"Nearly knocked me off the stairs," PJ interrupted in a perturbed tone. Gabe chuckled softly and moved to his bed, so they both heard him screaming in his sleep. Teddy sat beside him and PJ walked over, still standing. He ran his hands along his face while Teddy moved her arm around his shoulders.

"Was it that nightmare again? I thought you stopped having those…"

"I _did_. Until that commercial. You guys remember the woman they replaced mom with?" Teddy nodded and PJ hummed, they talked about her before, noting how similar her appearance was. When their dad heard them talking about it, he took the disk from the DVD player and walked off. "Where do you think dad took the DVD?"

"Probably put it back on its shelf," PJ answered. "If anything, it's with all the other home movies we've got on DVD." Gabe curled a finger beneath his chin and stared down at the floor, he wanted to see those home movies. None of them ever saw the really old ones, they just assumed that there weren't any of those. "What are you thinking, Gabe? You're not adopted, I think we would have remembered that."

"PJ, _you_ were only five when I was born. How could either of you remember if I was adopted or not?" If he was, why did the woman give him up? Why didn't she want him? "I have to talk to mom and dad about it. I have to know if I was truly adopted." He fell backwards on the bed and put his hands behind his head, staring up in silence at the bumps running along the ceiling. Teddy glanced back at him with a frown and PJ shook his head.

"I don't know why, but they always seem so careful when it comes to the subject of us as babies. Remember the whole birth certificate thing?" Even the official certificate looked fake, but PJ hadn't given any thought to it. Yes it was signed, but it wasn't stamped, nor did it look like the type of certificate used in 1993. "It's like they're hiding something."

Teddy laughed and brandished her hand in the air. "Yeah but they wouldn't be hiding anything so malicious." PJ affirmed her statement and Gabe lifted his shoulders. He had an empty sensation in his stomach, for some reason it was making him very hungry. "Anyway, Gabe, are you going to be all right for the rest of the night?"

"Sure, you guys can head back to bed now. Thanks for checking up on me, I guess." Teddy hugged him and PJ pat his shoulder, after a few comforting words, they left his room. He curled back beneath his covers and hoped he wouldn't have that nightmare again.

The next day, after pushing himself from the bed and getting dressed, he started downstairs to where his parents were talking on the couch. He stopped on the last step and put his hand to the post beside him, listening in to their conversation. "I found the article online, Bob. She killed herself back in 2000. It's our fault!"

"Amy relax, we didn't do anything. We shouldn't talk about this here."

"You _never_ want to talk about it!" Amy glared at him and he quickly lifted and pushed his hands out through the air, chuckling softly.

"Only because it's all behind us. It's the past. Besides Ames, you know what the situation is _now_. If we get c-" Bob spotted Gabe in the corner of his eyes, and immediately cleared his throat. Gabe was frozen in his spot, unsure of why he couldn't move. His mouth hung open and his heart was pounding. What were they talking about? Who died? What was so important that Bob didn't want out? "Gabe! How long have you been there, buddy?" Bob laughed heartily and moved over, patting his back. "Come have a seat. You look like you got something on your mind."

He looked over to Amy, who was watching nervously. What was this heaviness in his chest? He wasn't afraid of them or anything, but this feeling of fright seemed to come after every nightmare. Fortunately it wore off after a while, but only because it never made any sense for him to be afraid of his own parents. However, there was still a void, one that he shared with PJ and Teddy, something that made him unable to truly _feel_ on the same level as his parents. It was almost like they were the parents he loved on one hand, but then on the other, they were complete strangers.

"Mom, Dad, we've probably had this conversation before, but…am I adopted?" Amy started to pale and Bob coughed a couple times. He sighed and leaned forward. "It only makes sense that I would be, right? I mean I'm _so _different from you guys! I have brown hair, brown eyes, I'm short, and my features don't match either of you. It's like I don't belong in this family."

Amy reached forward and hugged him close. "Oh baby, you _do_ belong in this family." Her attempt at consolation feel short, as he just couldn't feel the complete love coming from it. He squirmed from her arms and slowly rose from the couch. "Gabe?"

"I'm just thinking…" He began pacing, tapping his finger on his chin. "I'm not even slightly bulgy, I'm _skinny! _Look at Dad, I should at least have a gut…but just like PJ, no matter how much I eat, and eat, I _never get fatter_."

"Adolescents have good metabolism," Bob replied with a stern voice. "Gabe put that adoption nonsense out of your head, you're going to give your mother a heart attack. You were born on November 23, 1999 at St. Paul Medical Center." Bob crossed his arms and chuckled slightly. "Just ask your mom, she was there, obviously."

Then why did something feel off about the story? Why did he feel like there was something, or_ someone_ missing from his life? As he thought on the story, the vision of the twin baby in the nightmare came back to him. That shrill, mournful cry that awoke the rest of the infants, it was the one thing that never left him even after the nightmare was long gone. PJ and Teddy both had nightmares too, similar ones, but they stopped having them years ago.

"Maybe it's just the nightmare I've been having." Amy gasped and stood up. She ran her hand through his hair and looked into his eyes.

"I thought you stopped having those, sweetie? The scary one, right? Baby gets abducted from the hospital?"

"Yes…"

"Baby, it was just a dream…I can assure you it is nothing more than that." She hugged him again, but this time he felt like he wanted her to back off. He remembered that mournful cry and tore himself away from Amy's hold. She stared back in great distress and sadness. "Gabe? Honey?"

"Sorry Mom, I just…I need to think." He obviously wasn't getting any answers from them. Their straight up denial was almost convincing, at least it made him question whether he _was_ adopted, but at the same time, the disconnect he felt towards them was frightening. Why the hell was this happening?

He scurried towards his room, where he heard his cell phone blaring out at full blast. He grabbed it up and answered it, pleased to hear Jo's voice on the other end. The two had started dating recently, or well, hanging out for the most part. They couldn't exactly 'date' since they were barely thirteen. "Hey Jo."

"Hey Gabe, I saw that commercial you did just last night. It was great, you and that woman really have a knack for being on camera." He felt his heart lift out of the muck, just a little compliment really would go a long way. He wondered if she saw what he saw, though.

"Thanks. I have a question, did you get a look at that woman's features?"

"Features? Oh! Yeah, mom and dad had to play it over and over again because the similarity was so uncanny. If I didn't know you, I would have thought _she_ was your mom."

"You don't say…I've been wondering if I was adopted. I've never seen my birth certificate, can't remember many baby pictures, and I definitely can't figure out why I always have this disconnected feeling towards mom and dad. It's like…it's like they're hiding something from me, and I don't know what. Whenever any of us ask about our births, they're always trying to avoid the subject."

"Well maybe you are. If you can't get a solid answer from the people that _ought_ to be telling you, then go directly to the source." He froze and stared ahead at the wall in front of him. Go to the source? Did she mean find the woman? He didn't even have a _name_.

"How can I possibly do that?" Not only that, but he had a feeling his parents would never let him find her. He may have to do it on his own, but he didn't have a car. "Besides, mom and dad drive me everywhere, they wouldn't even shoot for something like searching out that lady…"

"Well…Maybe I can have my parents take you down to find the guy who did the commercial. He would have had to get signed waivers from everyone involved, including that lady."

"You think so?"

"That's what Dad said. Do you think there's any type of connection you have to her? I mean seriously? What if you wind up at her door and there's nothing there?" He glanced out his room and heaved a heavy sigh.

"Well then at least I'll have an answer."

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So there will be three main perspectives-Gabe, PJ, and Teddy. This story's going to have quite a bit of drama, and those of you who've read my other GLC stuff (Or any of my works really) know the reason I do drama so well is cause I love it ;). Tell me your thoughts, and enjoy the ride.


	2. Doubts and Questions

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

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Chapter 2 (Doubts and Questions)

PJ made his way into the living room, eating a peach he grabbed from the kitchen. He could eat peaches all day long if he had to, he loved them, unlike his parents. It seemed Teddy was the only one in the family to share the love for such a delicious and sweet fruit. He bit into the peach and turned his attention to a printed newspaper article on the end table beside the couch. Charlie was sleeping on the arm of the chair and the parents were nowhere to be seen.

Curiosity struck him and he slowly made his way to the article. For some reason, he felt that if he were caught reading it, he'd be scolded. Did he care? Not so much. He never wanted to upset his mom though, as it was exactly how Bob once said, he was always the closest child to their mother. It was only natural, being the firstborn and having all that love and attention coming from the mother who was so excited to have her first child.

PJ smiled at his baby sister, who was stirring slightly in her sleep. As he watched, he frowned, seeing her face twisting almost mournfully. What was she dreaming about? What was making her so sad and filled with fear? He always felt empathy for his siblings, as both Teddy and Gabe had frequently suffered terrors growing up. He learned to adjust to those nightmares, to the fears, to the mistrust, but only because he didn't think there was anything untrustworthy regarding the home. After all, home was the safest place anyone could be, where they were filled with the love of their parents.

"Now…" He lifted the article up and let his eyes drift down to the words on the page. A deep anguish filled his heart as the words crushed him. He didn't know why he felt so terrible, as the article was about a woman that leapt to her death on January 5, 2000. At first glance, he thought maybe it had something to do with that whole Y2K scare, but reading further into the article, he realized it was far different.

_On Wednesday, January 5__th__, ten in the morning, Denver Colorado a woman, Mrs. Jasmine Booth, leapt from the hospital roof after escaping from the mental ward. She and her husband had entered her into the mental ward after a long bout with depression and anxiety. _

_ A prominent figure in Denver, Booth was the wife of a successful construction worker, Henry Booth, and had a seemingly happy marriage. However the depression stems from having lost her second child to a kidnapping from the St. Paul Medical Center in August of 1995. The couple's first loss was in '93, both children are reported to still be missing. After having two miscarriages in the last five years, the most recent being late '99, Booth placed herself into the mental facility where she escaped within a few days. _

_ Eyewitness reports her telling a roommate that she would be with her children one day. Booth circled around the front desk when the receptionist was away for a minute, unlocked the front doors, then walked out. The receptionist is currently being investigated for leaving her post._

_ Jasmine Booth was only thirty-eight years old, and had enjoyed a full eleven years of marriage. Funeral services will be held Saturday, January 8th at the Colonial Funeral Home at Seven. _

PJ's hands started trembling and his eyes glazed over. He was conflicted, on one hand he wanted to know why he felt such tremendous sorrow for this woman, but on the other hand he did feel terrible that someone had to go through such a terrible fate. In the eleven years of marriage, losing all four children, either through an abduction or miscarriage, it was probably the most horrible thing for a mother to go through. He couldn't imagine the pain she must have felt, not being able to hold her children.

"Hey what are you doing?" His father's voice almost exploded in his ears, shaking the silence around him. With an abrupt heel, he turned to face him, holding up the article. Bob reached over, muttering under his breath. "I can't believe Amy left this sitting out." Bob took the paper and read it, shaking his head. "It's a terrible thing, isn't it, son?"

"I feel bad for that woman, well her husband. I wonder if they ever found those two kids of hers." Bob glanced at the article and lifted his shoulders. Of course, PJ didn't expect him to know, but he still wished there was a way he could know if they'd been found. "It's got me thinking, maybe I'll go into police work one day. Solve those missing person's cases…You know those are almost never solved?"

"You don't say." As sad as it was, it was true. Many people go missing each year, and only so few of them are ever found. He saw Charlie open her eyes and stare at him with a dull expression, one that concerned him greatly. She turned her eyes to Bob, then held her stare. "Don't you have some homework, PJ?"

"Yeah, I should get to that, actually." He bit into his peach and started up the stairs for his bedroom. There was a growing anxiety inside of him that he was having a hard time grasping, but as it had always been something to come and go, he'd learned to push it off and ignore it.

Once he reached the top of the steps, he glanced back at his dad one last time. Bob was crumpling the paper in his hands and tossing it into a nearby trash can. His heart fell and a tear dropped from his eye. Smiling sadly, he took a final bite of the peach, licked the juice from his fingers, and walked off to his room.

Teddy was out on the front porch, reading up on a book she'd recently gotten into. It was a romance involving two people that were separated with an ocean between them, and there was one person that was doing everything in their power to see to it that the couple never reunited. It was not a new book, rather an old one that had been donated to the library. The prior owner had signed her name on the front cover, _Jasmine Booth_. It was fun seeing someone else having ownership of it, and she did wonder if the prior owner enjoyed it as much as she was. Teddy was so into the story that she barely noticed Gabe trying to ride away on his bike.

She looked up from the book and called out to him, causing him to stop in front of Mrs. Dabney's home. "Gabe, where are you going?" He looked back at her and started to remove his helmet from his already sweaty hair. Teddy was just interested in knowing where he would be, just in case she needed to go retrieve him.

"Jo called me over, so I'm going to see her." She raised an eyebrow and lowered her book into her lap. If Gabe was going to see her, then he needed to be sure to have all schoolwork finished.

"Do you have your schoolwork done, Gabe? Also, do mom and dad know you're out?" The two usually wanted to know wherever the kids were going, just for safety reasons. They always said it was very easy to get into danger. Though nothing bad really ever happened to them to be so serious, it was still good to take those precautions.

"I'm done with my schoolwork, and no, they don't know. Don't tell them, please?" She was shocked that he would even suggest that, but she did trust him. Yet, she couldn't see anything wrong with telling them he was with Jo, so it was a bit suspicious.

"Why don't you want to tell them?"

"I don't know, it's just…a feeling I guess."

"Feeling?" She wanted him to elaborate on this 'feeling' of his that made him not want to tell them why he was going somewhere. "What, you don't trust them or something?" She knew PJ usually had odd feelings regarding them sometimes, and even she was curious about a few things they often left out, but when it came to trust, they _were_ their parents.

They were fairly sheltered, and she knew that. Their dad struggled when she got a car, but for reasons he seemed to avoid discussing. Hell, they both acted strange from time to time. "I don't know, I trust them, but at the same time I feel like they're keeping something from me. I want to get to the bottom of it."

"Well be careful, Gabe." She laughed and responded jokingly, "You don't want to get into something that you find yourself too deep in." How true were those words, though? How easy was it to get too deeply involved in something, or finding something that they didn't want to find? Venturing out was what Bob and Amy feared most of all, that's why they watched their every move, but she never quite understood it.

"I'll be careful." He waved. She waved back and returned to her novel. There really wasn't a big deal with his going over to Jo's, as long as he wasn't doing something he wasn't supposed to do. When she lifted her gaze back from her book, she saw PJ on the porch with his phone lowered.

"Where's he going?"

"Jo's. Who are you talking to?"

"Skyler." She chuckled inwardly and shook her head. It was almost as if she were left out, the only one _not_ talking to a romance interest. "She says her uncle's having some trouble up in New York with the foreman. He's really hardheaded." Skyler's uncle, Doug Lucas, worked for a construction agency. PJ and Skyler talked often about him, the man's boss was a thin and muscular supervisor who ran the fields with almost an iron fist. The supervisor often said in order to achieve success, you have to almost harden yourself to any emotional grievances and keep focused on the hard work, never giving up. That wasn't necessarily the best way to go about life, but it worked for some people that were seen as workaholics, or people who just wanted to forget something without actually having to go out and drink every night.

"Geez, someone needs to tell the guy to relax."

"I know, right? Anyway, I was just telling Skyler, dad went a bit nuts over some news article mom printed out."

"Why?"

"He wouldn't say," He chuckled. She lifted her eyebrows and returned to her novel while he returned to his conversation with Skyler. As much as she wanted to talk to Spencer, it would have to wait until she was done with this book. It bothered her, Amy was never an avid book reader, as well as Bob could never get up an interest enough to read. Either way, she opted not to look too into it, since it just wasn't important enough to her. Though when Charlie was the only kid that seemed remotely similar to the parents in any way, Gabe's constant worries _did_ get a little spooky. Sometimes too spooky for her.

As Gabe and Jo piled into the back of her father's car, he started thinking about the fact that Spencer worked at the amusement park now. Wouldn't he just tell Teddy that Gabe was there? Then she would get worried and upset, tell Bob or Amy, and come get him. "So the plan of action?" Jo asked.

"Well I was hoping we could find that guy…Danny Flufferman." He was pretty sure this was the guy's name. If so, maybe he could talk him into telling him the name of the woman. A lot of times this information was kept confidential, but that was hardly a problem. He was sneaky. Strange as it was, he was the only stealthy person in the family. Obviously he didn't get all of that from his parents. If they _were_ his parents. "If he tells me thee lady's name, we can go from there."

"How are we going to find her address?"

"Good point." Danny likely wouldn't divulge that information. "Maybe…" It was possible, if Jo distracted him, that he could find the address through the files. "Maybe you could distract him?" Jo lifted her eyebrows and thinned her lips, gazing at him for a minute.

"So…what if it's true? What if you are adopted?" He started to pale as Mr. Keener started the car up. He hadn't really thought that far into it. If he was, then that meant his parents were lying to him, but why? He was scared to find out that answer. He _wanted _it, but was it _worth_ it to find out? "You might have a whole family out there that you don't even know about."

"Yeah, I might…" It was nerve-wracking, but he had to take this step bravely. If he found out he was adopted, he may have to confront his parents with the lie. Seriously, what was the worst that could happen?

* * *

Penny for your thoughts?


	3. Gabe's Discovery

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 3 (Gabe's Discovery)

Gabe took a deep breath as he stood before Danny's office at the park. Beside him, holding onto his hand, was Jo. He'd been trying to psych himself up for this, but at the same time, he was psyching himself out and suggesting to himself that his parents were right and he wasn't adopted. If only he could shake the ever-growing pit in his stomach. "So, in here lies the truth…" His body trembled almost rhythmically with his heart. It wasn't the truth in here, but the path towards the truth he sought. "Nothing can go wrong. I'm not adopted, I am adopted, I don't know, my mind is spinning."

"I know." Jo whispered and squeezed whatever comfort she could into his hand. "I'm right here, Gabe." He smiled warily and moved his free hand to the doorknob, slowly turning it pushing forward. He didn't know why he was so nervous right now, all he was doing _now_ was finding out the name of the woman in the commercial. What was so damn hard about _that_? "I know why you're nervous, but it's so soon to be nervous…"

"I know, I just…I can't help feeling like this whole thing is tying into that dream somehow. Like whatever I discover…is going to create such a huge impact." He was frightened, and that was something that didn't usually happen. Not to him. Hell, bravado was the only reason that he managed to date Jo. After all, someone had to be calm when she got pissed about something. "Whatever happens, there's no turning back." Jo nodded firmly and walked inside with him. The man at the desk looked up and smiled as instant recognition sparked in his eyes. "Hi, Mr. Flufferman, I uh…I have something to ask you."

Danny leaned forward and interlocked his fingers together on his desk, smiling brightly. "All right Gabe, what can I help you with?" Jo released his hand as he stepped forward and put his fingertips on the smooth maple desk. He stared directly into Danny's eyes, ignoring the urge to wipe away the sweat trailing down the back of his neck. Danny eyed him with full concern and flattened his hands. "Is everything all right?" He closed his eyes and exhaled, mentally slapping himself for hesitating. Instead of waiting any longer, he blurt out his question.

"That woman who replaced my mom in the commercial. Did you ever get her name? Or at least address?"

"I assumed you knew her, you two look so much alike." Danny smiled and peered down at a manila folder between his wrists. "I was just going over the records from that commercial…" Gabe eyed the folder and felt a sudden rush of air. _So close. So very close. _"The woman's name, if I recall from her signed papers, was Nicole Brown. As for the address, I can't divulge that kind of information." He gasped and watched the man place a firm hand over the folders. Confidentiality be damned. "I'm sure if you look in a phone book…"

"You can't just tell me? It's not like I'd be a threat or anything."

"I understand that, but…" Danny looked at him with a sad wince and lifted his shoulders up. "I could get into a lot of trouble if my boss finds out that I gave confidential information out like that. Besides, you probably wouldn't want me giving _your_ address out to someone, would you? Think about it, if the wrong person got a hold of your address, you could be abducted. That's why these things have to remain confidential."

"I see." He bowed his head and brought his hands to his side. He slowly looked to Jo, who appeared just as disheartened as he was. Her hands flew to her throat and she gasped out quickly, winking at him. His eyes widened and he started to spring to action. "Jo? Jo!" Danny rose to his feet and Jo stretched an arm out, yelling.

"C-Can't Breathe…please! Water!"

"Hold on!" Danny said as he rounded the corner of his desk. "Come on, there's a water machine out here!" Jo gasped for air and ran out of the office with Danny. Gabe watched with desperation and some panic, he knew she was acting, but it seemed so real.

"God…" Springing to life, he ran for the folder, realizing this was his only chance. He was not stopping at anything, he _would_ get this answer! As he fumbled to open the folder, not stopping for a breath, he could hear Jo continuing her drama distraction. His tongue clung to his lip and his eyes narrowed, searching for a recognizable signature. After no more than ten seconds, he found what he was looking for.

_Nicole Brown_

_ Address_: _2141 E. Hawthorne Place, Denver, CO._

There was some information regarding her telephone, as well as other items that he didn't find very important. He recognized the address, it was only two miles from his place, and just a few blocks from Jo's home. The two of them walked through the neighborhood, but never walked onto the street, and it was one of those that branched off a main street, looped around, and exited out on the same street a ways down.

Satisfied with the find, he shut the folder and moved around the desk. He hurried out the office door and saw Jo drinking from a small cup of water. "Jo, let's go!" Jo nodded, thanked Danny, and took off after him. He did feel bad for tricking the guy, but there wasn't anything to be done about it now.

As fast as a drive that it was, it still felt like an eternity. His heart was racing and his knees were so weak he wasn't sure he would be able to walk. When they reached the home, he could only stare, not budging an inch. He was caught in a trance, being nudged by Jo. "Gabe? Gabe come on."

The house was beautiful. It was a one story home, sitting on a hill, with brown wood vertically colliding with a sloped roof. The front yard had a small round garden famed with a stone base and a tiny fountain. The outside of the yard was framed with a stone wall that rose up three feet. To the right was the driveway. He could already tell this house would be a _great_ home to live in. Money didn't appear to be a problem, but who knew if that was the case thirteen years ago.

Pulling himself from the daze, he opened the door and stepped out without so much of a word. Jo followed him out and stepped next to him. He felt her take his hand and squeeze it. "I'm scared," he said before stepping anywhere near the front yard. Jo put her head to his shoulder and rubbed his back.

"I know, but this is what you want, right? To find out the truth?" He was so certain there was some connection to this woman. While he didn't know what it was, he could not stop now. He had to be strong, no matter what the cost. "So just take a few deep breaths and-" He closed his eyes and began walking, filling with the bravado he was craving. Jo silenced and hurried after him.

The front door was brown with a large oval, textured glass fixture in the center about four feet long and two feet wide. His hand shook above the doorbell and sweat beads were forming atop his head. He was beginning to grow very concerned, as he was _not_ usually this nervous. What was he about to walk into?

Jo wrapped her fingers around his hand and smiled at him as she guided his hand forward against the doorbell. His eyes grew and he immediately pulled his hand back. The bell had a musical chime to it, a classical tune that relaxed him. By the time it was over, the door had opened and the woman he was looking for was staring directly into his eyes.

She had on faded jeans, a purple blouse, and some yellow gardening gloves covered with dirt. He swallowed hard and put his hands behind his back, trying not to show his fidgeting fingers. "Hello? Aren't you the boy from that commercial?"

"Y-Yes, I just wanted to uh…I think-" He couldn't seem to get a word out edgewise, this woman really did look too much like him. She had a soft, motherly expression, and it was pulling him in. He couldn't just jump out and say he thought she was his mother, could he?

Nicole Brown smiled at him and removed her gloves. "I was just out back, doing some yard work. Would you like to come in?"

"Yes. Thanks…" She stepped to the side and he slowly walked in, amazed by the sight. The living room was vibrant and walls covered with various house decorations. In the center of the room was a couch, facing a television, and to the left of a large white fireplace. The glass coffee table had a drink on a small coaster sitting on the left corner. Amid the decorations, however, the one thing that grabbed his attention right away was the picture on the mantelpiece above the fireplace.

It was a small rectangular photograph framed in red oak. In the picture was Nicole lying proudly in a hospital bed, holding two babies in her arms. Bent over her, smiling at the camera, was her husband. He had a police cap and uniform on. The father in the picture had a straight face, brown mustache, and strong brown eyes. He had a slightly muscular build, which went hand in hand with his apparent occupation. However, Gabe's attention was still on the babies, he thought it was interesting that she had twins. _Just like the dream. _The babies in that picture looked so familiar to him. It was uncanny.

"I have some soda in the fridge, if you'd like some."

"I'd like that a lot, thank you." He smiled at her and watched her walk away. Once she was in the other room, he moved to the couch with Jo, who was gazing about at the house. "Jo, look on the fireplace, that picture…those twins…" She turned her attention to the photo and lifted her eyebrows. "It's like I'm staring at ghosts." He turned his stony gaze to the coffee table, not daring to look at the walls. As when he did, he thought he saw a girl his age that looked remarkably similar to him. "Jo, I think I _was_ adopted."

"Adoption, maybe, but…why? This family doesn't look like the type."

"There's a type?" Jo shrugged and looked back as Nicole reentered the room with two root beer cans. She set them on coasters in front of them and moved to the recliner beside the couch, smiling still.

"So, what brings you here? Or…how did you find this place?"

Jo straightened herself up while Gabe remained bent over and tapping his fingertips together. "We found it from the guy at the park. Gabe wanted-"

"This is a nice home you have here," Gabe blurted in an instant. Jo looked to him and he shut his eyes, trying to keep the tears from coming. The nightmare in his head was flashing back to him, over and over. Nicole thanked him. "I wanted to thank you for your participation in the commercial, my mother…" He flicked his eyes to her and saw her facial features shift thoughtfully. It was the same pondering look that she had before. He shook his head and looked over to the photograph on the fireplace. The woman followed his gaze. "It's a nice family you have. Where are they?"

"My husband's at work, my daughter's at the park with her school friends."

"Your husband's a police officer?"

"Yes, he's a captain now." The news stirred a feeling of happiness inside him, he didn't quite know why, but he was proud. That man could very well be his father, and he was such a high rank in the force. He wondered if the man knew the Dooley family. "Your name is Gabe, right?"

"Yes ma'am." He turned back to her and saw she was watching him, studying him. It was as though she suspected him of something, but what? "Something wrong?"

"No, I'm sorry. You just look so much like my daughter…" She leaned back and rubbed her hands against her knees. "Or, what her sibling would look like."

"Yeah, I was going to ask, there's two babies in that photo…if you don't mind me asking about that second one. Is he-" Gabe stopped himself and Nicole's eyebrows shifted up. She never said whether the twin was a he or a she, not that it made a difference. "So what happened to it? Did you give it up for adoption?"

"No. I never had a need to do something like that." The woman rose from her seat and walked over to the photo. Gabe eyed her, stunned by her direct answer. He couldn't make heads or tails of it. Nicole carefully took the photo and studied it, her expression had grown tense, but was now mournful. "My baby would be twelve right now. His sister thinks about him all the time, to the point where she's so certain he's still alive."

His lips thinned and he started to perk up just a bit. It was that twin connection thing that he remembered hearing some kids at school talk about before. Whenever one twin was upset, or hurt, the other twin knew it. "She thinks he's still alive?" Nicole kept her eyes glued onto the framed photo and drew in a shaky breath. She was remaining strong, despite her tears, or so she appeared. "Twin telepathy?"

"You could say that. She used to always have these horrible dreams, only…I think they're memories, not dreams. They resurfaced recently." She set the photograph down and moved back to her chair, closing her eyes and whispering to herself. Gabe thought she was telling herself to remain calm, or something of the like. The woman cleared her throat and smiled subtly, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry, it's hard talking about the subject. You asked if he was adopted, he was taken from me. I think it was that nurse from the hospital…I didn't suspect that until recently, really…"

Gabe's jaw fell open and his body froze, he shouldn't be so surprised really, but he was. "A-Abducted?" Not only was he stunned by that fact, but also the fact that the twin had those same dreams. "You said…your daughter has dreams regarding that?"

"Yes, only, she says in the dream she's almost taken by these two people and her brother starts throwing a fit, causing them to take him instead." Gabe slowly put his hand to his forehead, groaning softly to himself. The memory of being carried away, and the twin's mournful cry echoed in his head. He just couldn't take it any longer.

The fact that he wasn't adopted was pounding into his head, but he didn't want to be _abducted_. He couldn't be, Bob and Amy would never do that. His eyes shot open and his breath caught in his throat. His eyes welled up with tears and his hand moved to his chest. The very people he thought were his parents, it was one thing if they adopted him and didn't tell him, but _abduction_? Why? What of Teddy and PJ? Were they abducted? Why steal a third when two were already there? He met the woman's gaze, she seemed to be thinking hard on similar thoughts. Did she know he was her son? A mother knows her child. _Was_ he her son?

One thing was certain, those features were his, the girl in the photographs on that wall most _definitely_ looked like him, and the people he thought were his parents, were liars. His heart pounded in his chest as the bile started rising in his throat. He had to go _back_ to them? No, he couldn't, he didn't want to, but where would he go? He couldn't stay here, not right now, but he couldn't go back home. How could he face those two? Bob, Amy, they might be dangerous. How does someone go from loving parents in one instant to total strangers in a second?

It all made sense to him, but he still wanted to know. He _had_ to know, but he didn't want to traumatize this woman any longer. He couldn't ask Bob or Amy, everything he ever knew was a damn _lie!_ There was one person, however, one person who had always been around. She would most definitely know. "Uh…I…I'm sorry to bring up something so…" He shook his head and slowly stood up. "I have to go."

"I understand." He took his soda and looked back at Jo, she was frozen and staring off into space. It took her a second to react, getting up herself and moving for the door. How could anyone process all this. "I'll walk you out…" Nicole looked like she wanted to say something else, but she bit her tongue and held back. Her eyes drifted to the phone on the end table beside her couch. "I need to call my husband anyway…"

"Okay." They made their way outside, Gabe was fighting back his tears. He didn't know whether he was confused, angry, sad, or if he was just going to fall over and die. No words were said as he moved to the car. What could he say? _I think I'm your son?_ Did he really want to throw her into such grief?

When he was in the car, he glanced back at the house and saw Nicole standing in the doorway. She had a forlorn and longing expression painted her face. Jo's father glanced back at them and handed a sheet of paper over. "Hey, I drove out to the nearby park for some air. There was a kid running around with these flyers, said their friend was putting together some kind of hunt for her brother, had all of her friends working for them. You might want to see this…"

"What?" Gabe took the paper and Mr. Keener began to drive. He stared down at the images, at a loss for words. Underneath the words "Have you seen him?" were three images. The center was of an infant, to the right was a police age-progressed photo that looked remarkably like him, and to the left was a modified photo of the girl he saw in those pictures. The long hair in the photo was replaced by a short, boyish haircut. Besides a couple feminine features, it looked _exactly_ like him.

His fingers tensed on the paper, crumpling the edges. His body began to heat up and his heart was racing even faster. Inside there was also a feeling of determination, a feeling that he had to be somewhere as soon as possible. He couldn't explain the feeling, but if he did have that twin connection thing, he wondered if maybe his sister were feeling that same determination. He slowly lifted his head from the window, and then he saw her. The girl in the photos on the wall, her long brown hair rushed in the wind as she pedaled her bike as fast as she could, in a desperate attempt. She was wearing an outfit much like he was, black jeans and a long sleeved blue t-shirt.

Her eyes drifted towards the passing car, and their gazes connected. In that instant, he felt a spark shooting off between them. His heart paused, and the dull hum of the road quieted to complete silence. Their movements slowed tremendously and all that Gabe seemed to hear was his heart beating, one beat at a time. The girl turned her head with the car, aimed her bike around, and put her foot to the ground, braking. Her lips parted and her eyes remained locked with his. He wanted to shout for Mr. Keener to stop, and moved his mouth to speak, but the words he needed simply refused to come out.

He saw Nicole running for the girl, she had a phone raised to her ear, and was speaking quickly. Perhaps she was calling her husband now. It would make sense, if she knew or at least suspected he was her son. There was no mistaking it, seeing that girl, he _knew_ there was a connection. He just didn't want to believe it. No, he still needed that confirmation. That answer. As more distance grew between them, the girl tore her gaze away and started speaking to her mother, pointing towards the car. What was she saying?

Concern and panic swept through his mind, he was almost terrified that this was the last chance for seeing them. Although, it was an outside feeling, one that maybe his sister would be feeling, like chasing after him. "Where do you want to go?" He heard Mr. Keener ask. There was a hint of hesitation in his voice, as if he were uncertain about whether or not to ask his question at all. "Are you wanting to go home?" The hesitation turned to concern, perhaps Mr. Keener was a bit skeptical of his parents now as well. Gabe blinked and turned his eyes to the flyer. _Home?_ Surely that was the last place he wanted to be. Was it home? God, he didn't know. No, he had elsewhere he wanted to be right now.

Within minutes, Mr. Keener and Jo dropped him off at a neighbor's home. He stood at the front door and glanced back, the two were watching him from the car. The door opened and Mrs. Dabney appeared in the doorway, staring at him with suspicion. "What do you want?"

"Mrs. Dabney, please…" His eyes grew misty and his heart was breaking. She was his last hope, he couldn't go to Bob and Amy, he just couldn't. "I can't go home right now, let me stay with you for a bit. Please? I'm confused, scared, and I just can't go back to those…two people…"

Mrs. Dabney's expression shifted to concern and she slowly looked to the house next door. She took a deep breath and slowly stepped to the side. "I guess. Come on in…"

"Thank you."

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Well an emotional chapter. What did you think guys?**  
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	4. Suspicions and Confirmations

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

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Chapter 4 (Suspicions and Confirmations)

Teddy watched her father freak out, searching the streets for Gabe as she rode in the passenger seat of the car. He was on a manhunt that she didn't understand. First, he practically _demanded_ to know where Gabe had gone, to the point where she told him Jo's out of fear that he'd blow a gasket. When they went to Jo's place, they had found her mother, who told them Gabe and Jo went to the amusement park to meet Danny. When finding him, he told them he had no idea where the two kids went. "Dad relax, I'm sure Gabe's safe."

"Safe? Of course he's safe!" Bob said as he glared at the roads and buildings flying by. Teddy raised an eyebrow and leaned to the side, shifting her eyes out the window. Seeing as how there was nothing she could do about the situation, she returned to the book. "Teddy you just don't understand the gravity of the situation at hand here. There's a _reason_ your mother and I don't let you kids go off without telling us where exactly you're going to be."

"Okay then…" Her eyes shifted over to him and her heart began racing. Did he even realize he was talking to her? He was leaning over the steering wheel and shooting his head from side to side. "You're beginning to scare me, Dad." It was like he was terrified of something, more than just the thought of something happening to Gabe. "Maybe you should pull over and take a deep breath…"

"No! No time for that. Who knows who Gabe could be running into!" That _was_ true, Gabe did enjoy causing mischief when it came to other people. She had a feeling this was one of those times where he wasn't causing trouble. "There are certain things that will happen if certain other things happen." She smiled awkwardly and moved her eyes to the book's pages, trying to ignore him as much as she could. Although, it was difficult to do that when thinking that he might cause a wreck to happen with his crazed driving.

"At least slow down?" She looked up and saw a girl pedaling towards the supermarket where her friend Alice had worked before. Her suspicious instinct kicked in when she noticed the girl looked remarkably like Gabe, did he happen to find a wig? Mr. Keener's car was also in the parking lot, so clearly they were there. "Try the store, Jo's dad's car is there." Although, assuming he _was_ there, there was a part of her that didn't feel like she wanted Bob finding him. She didn't know why, but it was very overpowering.

He sped into the parking lot and found a place to stop, then hopped out of the car at top speed. Teddy remained calm and slowly walked towards the front of the store. Once inside, she saw Bob ripping away a couple 'missing child' ads. She lifted a hand, then moved it down, slowly shaking her head. "Whatever Dad…" She moved ahead into the store and stopped at a cashier's desk, not noticing the girl she saw behind her. The cashier was an older teenager with a few pimples on his face. "Hey sir, have you seen my little brother, Gabe?"

"Uh, what's your name?"

"Teddy Duncan. Dad and I are looking for my brother, he went off with his girlfriend…about five feet, short fuzzy brown hair, probably wearing a darker shirt and jeans?" The girl looked back at her and raised an eyebrow as she continued to describe Gabe.

"That'll be five-forty," the female cashier said as she scanned the girl's card. Teddy turned around, still unable to get a closer look at her face, due to her hair blocking her. She saw the girl staring at Bob, then she pointed.

"He's taking down a flyer I just put up! What the hell!" The cashier looked back and sighed.

"That's Bob Duncan, he's always coming in and looking at the missing children's ads. He usually says he's trying to determine if he's seen any of them, I don't know _what_ he's doing now. I'm going to call in the manager…" The girl hummed and narrowed her eyes.

"Oh don't do that!" Teddy said as she hurried over to Bob. "Dad, what are you doing!" She _really_ didn't want to get in trouble, especially not with Hugh still the manager there. Looking back, she saw the girl walking away with a black ball cap in her hand. It was not long before Bob found himself being bombarded by soda fountains.

"The hell!" He screamed. One of the soda fountains had some jalapeno juice planted inside. Teddy gasped and knelt beside him as he started wiping his eyes. This had to be the work of Gabe, but _why_? "It burns!" Then the girl's voice came over the intercom, surprising the two.

"That's what you get for tearing down my flyers. I have more where that came from, so you'd better put them all…hold on, Hugh's on his way over here." Teddy raised an eyebrow as the intercom system cut off. She heard him call out Gabe's name, which was odd, but perhaps Gabe was involved. She poked her head out to see the store, it was a devastating sight, since as Hugh chased someone wearing a cap, things were being knocked off the aisles.

"Oh no. I think that _is_ Gabe out there!"

"What?" Bob rose up and charged out, joining Hugh in the chase. "Gabriel Duncan, you get back here this instant!" Teddy raised an eyebrow and stepped back into the store, scratching her head. She was really confused, but the person she saw was definitely Gabe. It couldn't be the girl unless she tied her hair up and put a belt around the chest to push down the female parts. Then she thought, why would there be someone out there that looks like Gabe in the first place?

She winced as something was knocked off the shelf and hit Bob head on, it looked like Gabe was _targeting him_. Hugh stopped running and was staring at her, which made her a bit uncomfortable. She smiled and waved, then frowned once he took off towards the office rooms in the back. "What the…"

_"Teddy Duncan to the office please…Teddy Duncan to the office…" _

"Okay…" She started making her way towards the office, glancing back to see her father still chasing Gabe. He hadn't even heard Hugh on the intercom. "I swear…if it wasn't odd enough…" Once inside the office, the first thing she noticed was Hugh sitting at his desk with a concerned expression on his face. Of course, he was drenched from soda and food items that had been sprayed on him. "What's going on here?"

"Have a seat…" He was studying her. She couldn't deal with being eyeballed like this, especially since she hadn't done anything. She pushed her purse strap up her shoulder and slowly sat down. "I've stopped chasing your brother down because when I looked at you, I saw this…" He pushed a flyer forward and her eyes slowly drifted down to the page.

It was a 'missing child' ad, a baby abducted from the hospital in 1995. Her eyes widened when she looked at the age progression photo. It was of a girl with shoulder length, dirty blonde hair, high cheekbones, and a wide, pleasant smile. "Okay, so an age progressed photo looks like me…so what? I wasn't abducted at birth." Hugh leaned forward and narrowed his eyes as he tapped his finger on the flyer.

"These are the flyers your father keeps ripping down from my wall every week. I've started noticing and I thought they looked familiar. I thought, they _couldn't_ be of the girl with the baby that tried to steal the sunglasses-"

"Now Charlie was just a baby, she didn't even know what-"

"Not important!" She slinked back into her seat and exhaled sharply, what was she supposed to say? She was that girl? No, she didn't think she was that girl at all. Even though, she had to admit that she was a little suspicious of her father's antics. "Now I know your brother's wrecking havoc in my store, but as long as he's distracting that man long enough…I'm going to have to call the police and see if they note the resemblance."

"No! Don't call the police!" She waved her hands in the air, her heart started racing as she began to panic. Hugh raised an eyebrow. There was no reason to call the police for something that wasn't even true, right? She trusted the police, sure, so she didn't want to send them on a wild goose chase. "I'm _not_ that girl in the photo. I know the age progressed thing looks a little like me, but come on…I've known my parents all my life."

"Have you, Miss Duncan? _Have_ you?"

"Yes! Jesus…" She rose sharply and quickly turned away, ignoring Hugh's protests. She didn't want to stay any longer, and he was _not_ keeping her holed up there. As she stepped outside, she saw Gabe on top of one of the aisles, throwing a bunch of fruits at Bob. She growled with annoyance and called out to him. "Gabe! What the hell's gotten into you! That's our dad!" He looked at her with an arched eyebrow, then slowly smirked as if he'd gotten a crazy idea. He spoke in a voice that seemed a bit too deep for him, but she wasn't in the mood to care.

"Right, I don't know what got into me. I'll come home…wonder what it's like there anyway…" The last few words were muttered, so Teddy wasn't too sure what was said. "Sorry pops." Gabe hopped down and started walking off. Teddy rolled her eyes and followed after, hoping to forget about this massive pounding in her head.

Once home, Teddy noticed Gabe going around the house and examining every nook and cranny. After some time, he was asking Amy a bunch of random questions regarding his childhood. She figured she'd had enough of dealing with the strangeness of the day, and took her book into her bedroom where it was quiet, and without distraction.

At Mrs. Dabney's home, the real Gabe sipped on some tea and gazed down at the floor. His mind was still on his apparent birth mother, but he was trying to process how exactly it all worked. Why was she his birth mother? Who were Amy and Bob? The elder sat next to him and her cat hopped up into her lap. "Mrs. Dabney, you've been around here forever, right?"

"I'm not that old, Gabe."

"Not what I meant…" He looked up at her, meeting her eyes and searching them for a sign of truth. "I mean, you've been here, in this house, for how long?"

"Twenty or thirty years." He nodded and looked out the window at his home next door. His heart was racing and his stomach churned. What was the truth? Would it be too difficult for him to swallow?

"I think…I met my _birth mother_." Mrs. Dabney's mouth opened, but her expression remained the same calm and knowledgeable expression that it was. Why was she not surprised? What _did_ she know? "Mom...uh…god I don't know if I can call her that anymore. I think I was abducted, but I thought I was at least adopted at birth, but…"

"They've never adopted, Gabe. I would have known, I worked at the adoption clinic in the '90s…" He frowned and felt a jolt inside of him. It was difficult hearing, painful if anything. "Amy was also only pregnant one time before having Charlie, and _that_ was a miscarriage. It happened around '99. Then she brought you home from the hospital, the same way she brought the other two…I always thought it was strange, but I never said anything. I just assumed it wasn't my place."

He was speechless, trying to grasp for words, but there was nothing. She'd just confirmed his worst fear. His eyes were wide and his body began trembling as the bile shot up from his stomach. He really _had_ been abducted. "No…" A cold chill shot down his spine and his body grew clammy. He bolted from the couch and ran into the bathroom, hovering over the toilet as everything spilled out from inside. Everything he ever knew, all his memories, none of it had been real. None of it had been genuine.

He fell to his knees, grasping the sides of the white toilet, shaking and sobbing as his stomach continued to churn more bile. He felt Mrs. Dabney's hand on his shoulder, but could not look up, he could do nothing besides continue to let his stomach fight him. "I'm sorry, Gabe…I know it hurts…"

* * *

Well that's a bitter pill to swallow


	5. Investigations

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N: This chapter, in a different perspective than the main three

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Chapter 5 (Careful Investigating)

Denise removed her ball cap while in the bathroom, letting her hair flow freely to the middle of her back. It was getting hard keeping it up without something to hold it in place. She started brushing her hair with her hands and gazing back at herself in the mirror. _"I am so grounded when Dad finds out what I did…" _She was wondering where her twin was, as he was definitely not here when she got there. Though, since they appeared to be looking for him at the store, her suspicion was that he would _maybe_ be returning home. It wasn't hard to figure out that this family had something to do with her twin, considering the father thought _she_ was his son. Though, the fact that the girl was talking about him, there were many, many signs that pointed to this family. Of course, when she got here, the pictures she saw gave it away.

She grabbed a random purple hair band from the sink and started to put her hair up. After about ten minutes, she put her cap on and tightened the belt she had around her chest. She was going incognito, even if it meant getting into serious trouble with her parents later. Maybe she'd even get to finally see her brother after all these years! All the years of studying missing children's cases and hacking into her father's computer at work would pay off!

"Gabe! We know you're in there," Bob's voice beckoned from behind the door. He didn't seem happy, which wasn't that much of a surprise to her. "Come out here, your mother and I need to have a talk with you." She rolled her eyes and quickly exited the bathroom, speaking in her deep voice to try and match her brother's. It would be hard pretending to like these people, especially if they _were_ the ones that abducted him. "What you did at the store was uncalled for." She moved into the living room and set her phone on the end table, she'd been fixing to call her friend and tell her what was up.

"My bad. I just don't know what was going on with me." She crossed her arms and sat down, chuckling slightly as the parents moved around the couch. "I think I was seeing red. I won't do it again." She was lying like a dog. If she had the opportunity to do it again, she would.

"I know you won't, because you're _grounded_, Gabe." Denise raised an eyebrow as Bob leaned forward and glared into her eyes. "You're forbidden from leaving this house. Period. I will install a camera if I have to, but you are _not_ leaving this house." She held her composure, but was now starting to worry. What if she needed to abort the mission, or if these people were dangerous, what was she to do? Perhaps she _hadn't_ thought it out fully. Suddenly the sound of a police siren rang out and Bob quickly glanced to the door. Amy started to pale as the room lit up with red and blue lights. "Gabe, go to your room. Now."

"Do I have-"

"I said now!" Denise flipped off the couch and bounded up the stairs. Neither Teddy nor PJ were home, since Teddy finished that book she was reading and went off to visit some friend of hers. PJ was out at work. She stopped at the top of the stairwell and hid behind the wall, crouching down to the ground and listening as Bob started towards the door. She poked her head around the corner of the wall and watched with narrow eyes.

"Now relax Amy, I'm sure it's nothing."

"You don't know that, Bob. What if Gabe figured something out?"

"Like what? Who the hell is going to listen to a twelve year old kid?" Denise narrowed her eyes and pulled a tape recorder from her pocket, she smirked at the red light and leaned her head back on the wall. She would take great pleasure in presenting whatever evidence she found to her dad. Even though it couldn't be used in court, as you can't record without permission, it could still be used to prompt a police investigation. As she turned her head around the corner, she froze in shock, her father was standing in the doorway.

He was standing tall at six feet, he had on his black uniform and cap with his cop shades resting gently on the bridge of his sharp nose. His moustache hairs blew out with a sharp breath from his nostrils, his eyebrows moved down into an angry glare as he bore into Bob. "Duncan."

Bob smiled innocently and extended his arms. "Officer Brown."

"That's _Captain_ Michael Brown to you. We've got to stop meeting like this, Duncan. It's pissing me off."

"What? You not being able to arrest me for anything?" Michael growled lightly and Denise's jaw fell. Did the two have a history? "What do I owe this visit? I don't suppose it's pleasure, never is."

"There's a couple things. It appears your son has desecrated that supermarket. Again." Michael lifted his hand to the corner of his shades and lowered them a slight bit, peering over the top rim. "Is he here for me to have a discussion with…this time? I believe he needs to know the legal ramifications of vandalizing a store." Denise whistled slightly, perhaps it was best not to get her brother into any legal trouble. She turned back around the corner to listen, and hopefully not be seen.

"No, he's out with his girlfriend." Denise raised an eyebrow and turned her eyes over her shoulder. Did this man seriously just make a bold faced lie? What was he afraid of? Michael hummed suspiciously and cleared his throat. "Is there something else?"

"I am simply wondering how convenient it is that your son always seems to be missing when the police show up. Your family is constantly causing trouble for that store, and I've become an…unfortunate friend of the store manager. We've had many drinks over your family."

"Oh? Is that so?"

"Yes…One of these days, Duncan. You're going to strike the wrong chord, and I'm going to be there…waiting."

"Like always, right?" Bob grinned and put his hand to the doorframe. "Did you happen to tell him about when you fired me off the force back in '99?"

"Ah yes…rookie cop decides to get drunk on the job after only three months of working, and slams into his boss's car. I remember. I'll _always_ remember. It seems you have a penchant for criminal activity, Duncan." Michael smirked and folded his arms. "Hugh has reported you continuously ripping off missing child ads over a period of time, and he swears that your daughter is on those ads. Name: April Booth. Birthday, August 3rd, 1995."

"Am I under arrest then? Teddy is not home, but I can promise you…she's not a missing child." Denise clenched her fists and narrowed her eyes. There was no crime over blatantly lying to a police officer, was there? She knew each child in this house, minus the baby, was on a 'missing' ad somewhere. "Do you want to search the house? Got a warrant?"

"Not yet…got a reason for me?"

"Nope, I'm going to get some sleep, so I don't feel like having cops search my house and keeping me awake." Michael growled, his moustache twitched at the corner of his mouth. He scanned the room and let his eyes fall on Denise's cell phone.

"Hold up…is that my daughter's cell phone?" Denise paled and cupped her hands over her mouth. _Now_ she was in trouble.

"Huh?" Bob looked back and shook his head. "No, that's my son's phone, he left here by mistake." Michael hummed and narrowed his eyes.

"Duncan. If I find out you have my child in your home, you're in trouble." Bob chuckled and dismissed the statement with a wave.

"Don't be silly, Cap-"

"Remember Duncan, I'm watching you." Michael slowly turned around, to which Denise's heart sank. She didn't want him to leave just yet. Bob seemed to not catch it, and continued talking without realizing what he was saying.

"I've never met your twins in my life, so why would I have either one of them?" Denise felt her heart pulse as her father stopped in place, throwing his hand onto the doorframe. Michael slowly turned his head over his shoulder and removed his shades.

"Duncan…I only have one child. Are you insinuating that both children are alive, or that you in fact _knew_ I had twins? As I recall, you were never told of the twin." Denise rubbed her chin and tried to remember something she read in her father's files long ago. Just a month after Bob Duncan was fired from the squad after only working nearly three months, the twins were born and one of them abducted from the hospital. Her father wanted to suspect Bob of being involved, but there was no evidence to support any involvement, even though the man's wife worked at the hospital. Being off the job, and under no investigation, Bob Duncan should not have known a thing about it. Right?

"Well, I mean, I'm not insinuating anything. Are you _suspecting_ something?" Michael turned around and glared into his eyes.

"You _don't_ want to play that game with me, Duncan. You _will_ lose. I may not be able to arrest you on suspicion, but I can sure as hell investigate if there's enough reason to suspect something…and Duncan, if you had _anything_ to do with my son's disappearance, or if you have any of my children in your home…" Michael smirked and tilted his head to the right. "Then it will be my pleasure to arrest you."

"You've been trying to find a reason for an arrest for the past twelve or thirteen years, and why? Because I ran into your patrol car and they wouldn't arrest me for DUI? Are you really holding a grudge that long?" Michael narrowed his eyes and straightened himself. He slowly pushed his shades back onto his face and turned around.

"No. When my intuition tells me something, I believe it. Like I said, I can't do shit on a hunch, but give me a reason…and you bet your ass there will be an investigation, and when there is…_I'll_ be there."

"Good luck with that one, Captain." Bob shut the door and started laughing, only to have Amy shoot him a dangerous glare. Denise was flabbergasted, she never knew the past that Bob had with her father, and now she knew the perfect motive for abduction. If her brother had been taken only a month after Michael fired Bob from the job, then there it was in plain sight. Michael wouldn't have been allowed to investigate, so why in the hell didn't the investigating officers question Bob Duncan?

Denise stepped into view. She shoved her hands into her pockets and thinned her lips. As she was about to speak, Amy started talking, so she quickly shot back into hiding and gripped her recorder. "Why would you just taunt the captain like that! Don't you know who he is?"

"What? You mean besides the guy that used to be my boss, and I somehow manage to have a run in with each year since? Yeah I know who he is." Bob ran his hand through his hair and crisscrossed the room towards the couch. "Or do you mean Gabe's birth father? I know that too. _You_ were the one that pissed off the commercial guy to replacing you with his real mother, of all people!"

"Oh don't you dare try to pin this on me! You're the one always going on and on about never wanting to get caught, and you keep taunting and tormenting the worst man possible, the birth father that just so happens to be able to put you away for life…" Bob leaned forward and tapped his fingertips together, chuckling sinisterly.

"Look, there's absolutely _nothing_ that can go wrong here. He has nothing to go on. Just because a store manager noticed a tiny little feature in a picture, is absolute shit." Denise rolled her eyes and started to growl. Her blood was beginning to bubble with rage and hatred for these people. She wanted to take something to their heads and call her father back, but this was a delicate process. "We have Gabe, Teddy, and PJ…they're not going anywhere."

"What if people start suspecting, Bob? What if Captain Brown makes good on his promise and starts an investigation? You know as well as I do that he would _love_ to arrest you! Make no mistake, arresting the man that took his son is probably one of his life-long goals."

Denise smirked satisfactorily and snapped her fingers, Amy hit the nail on the head with that statement. Her father _never_ stopped suspecting, never stopped searching, never stopped trying to figure it all out. He was bound determined to find his son one day, even if it killed him.

Bob leaned back in the couch and pushed his hands behind his head. He breathed in deep and exhaled slowly. "If that is the case, then we'll move. Maybe a family road trip, but no matter what, I won't let anything happen…If all we have to worry about is one man-"

"One man that overheads a whole section of the police, _our district_ of police officers!" Denise rubbed her chin and hummed thoughtfully, her father was in charge of a little more than a district. Everyone in Denver's police force had to listen to him as he took commands from the Commander, then the Deputy Chief, and finally the Chief of Police. He was good friends with Deputy Chief Dooley, so it would not take much to compile a search and seizure warrant if given enough evidence. "Bob, it's bad enough that I _don't want_ to do this anymore, but you can't just keep taunting the victims, the families. It isn't good…you didn't see me doing that when I saw Nicole at the amusement park."

"No, but then, you're the one that feels remorseful. I have to be strong for the _both_ of us! We'll lose our kids if we're caught, Amy."

"As if they were ours to begin with, Bob." He stammered as she stormed off to the kitchen. Bob groaned and ran his hands along his face. Denise waited a few seconds to see if there was anything more, when she was certain the conversation was over, she flipped off the recorder.

She _definitely _had to be careful. Bob seemed very much like the dangerous one. If he could go toe-to-toe with her father, then he was dangerous. Thankfully no one saw through her ruse, though the toddler seemed a little confused with her.

She started down the stairs and saw Bob leaving the house. With that, she grabbed the phone and rushed to where her 'room' was, which embarrassingly was the same room as the eldest child, but she had to deal with it. Just as she made it up there, she received a call from none other than her mother. She answered the phone and heard her mom's anxious voice. "Honey, where are you?" Poor woman was often worried about losing anymore relatives in the family.

"Don't worry mom, I'm at a friend's house." Which friend? She looked up at the ceiling and breathed out slowly. She really didn't want to scare her mom, and unfortunately that meant lying. "I'm at Amber's. Going to be here a while, if that's okay with you…" Next step would be calling up Amber. She was the girl that handed the flyer to Mr. Keener, and was Denise's best friend.

"Just stay safe. I know we saw your brother earlier, but I don't want you going after him right now, okay? We don't know who he's with, the life he's been living, and if the people who have him are dangerous sweetie…I don't want you getting mixed in with those bad people." Ah, a mother's love warmed the heart. She looked towards the door and chuckled, she always did take more after her father than anything.

"Don't worry mom, I understand, and I'm safe with Amber…I need to go, love you."

"I love you too honey." After the phone clicked off, Denise let out a loud sigh and fell back onto the bed, she _hated _lying to her parents. Usually it ended with her severely grounded. Which, apparently, she was grounded by the Duncan family too. It didn't matter, she'd do what she came here to do. Convince the three eldest that they were, in fact: _David and April Booth,_ and Gabe was_ Daniel Brown_.

In her back pocket she had the missing child ads, the newspaper clippings, all folded up. Now, she just had to make sure this didn't end like a lot of missing children's cases out there, and Bob seemed like the one who would be capable of murdering a child. She would have to tread lightly.

* * *

Denise may not be in a safe position here. Of course her mother would want to know where she was at. Now what did you guys think of everything? Bob's got some history with one of the dads, and it looks like this one's going to take great pleasure in being the arresting officer one day.


	6. Won't Escape by Blacking it Out

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 6 (Cannot Escape by Blacking Out)

PJ, Teddy, Emmet, Spencer, and Ivy were all gaining some quiet time at the mall. They needed to catch a break with some of the recent drama that had happened with Gabe. PJ, of course, had been freaked when Teddy told him how their father acted in his pursuit of his son, so coldly. Where was the fatherly concern? It was as if he didn't have any real concern for Gabe, or Teddy for that matter, in his body. It really had been making him think, more than he would have _liked _to.

The reason he often acted so dense in nature, and it was true that he was truly dense from time to time, but for the most part he could be very smart if he wanted to be. He just opted not to act smart, because it created thoughts and doubts that he just wanted to shove down, to silence. Unfortunately now they'd resurfaced and ever since he turned eighteen, he _couldn't_ put them to rest. He'd also been coming up on names and events, people that gave him this very eerie feeling of peace, calmness, and sadness.

He and Emmett were sitting on the edge of the fountain in the food court, directly to the right of the table where Teddy was sitting with Spencer, whose arm was around her shoulders, and Ivy. "How about you stop worrying about this stuff?" Emmett suggested. "If you can't get a solid answer from your parents, and you don't _think_ there's anything wrong, then don't pursue it." PJ groaned and rubbed his forehead, his head was pounding. Teddy's head fell onto her arms, folded in front of her on the table. "What?"

"That's the problem," PJ muttered. "It would be easy if we didn't _think_ there was an issue, but we do. Don't know what, but at least I'm certain something's wrong. Teddy's just in denial."

"As if you're not in denial too!" Teddy said with a sharp retort. PJ leaned back a bit and stared at his sister with a deep concern and sorrow. He felt bad that she was so upset and wanted to help her. It was an older brother thing to do, and protecting his little sister was just what he felt ever since he was a kid. When she was in trouble, he was the first to help. "Everything's just so…I don't know. Confusing. I don't think this is something you're going to be able to solve, PJ." She chuckled at him and he smiled back. The others exchanged concerned glances.

"What does that mean?" Spencer asked. PJ shrugged his shoulders and Teddy glanced at her boyfriend from the side.

"PJ and I have always been the closest siblings. It's a bond thing, we've always had each other's backs since we were children. I'd have an issue, he'd try to do something about it. He had a problem, I'd try to help…sure you get your fights and stuff, but all in all, he's the best brother I could ask for."

It was strange that they could say that about each other, but not Gabe and Charlie. Now, they loved their younger siblings, and they were close, but it didn't feel the _same_. It didn't feel like a pure sibling love and concern, it just felt like deep care for them. PJ never quite figured out why he felt that way towards them, why he didn't feel like he had a sibling connection to them, but he did with Teddy. Unfortunately, all his life, his parents had never bothered to give him any real answers to that question, or any _other_ question. It was pissing him off.

"There's sort of a connection we share as siblings that we don't quite share with Gabe and Charlie," he admitted. "It's troublesome, as if they weren't our siblings or something, you know?" Their friends shook their heads and clicked their tongues, possibly unsure what to think. He heard someone in the background referring to the woman he read about in that article, and quickly turned his gaze over his shoulder. He saw two people around his age walking through the food court, applying posters to the walls. They seemed disheartened that no one was paying any mind.

One was a girl with blonde hair that feathered out midway between her chin and shoulders, she had a few freckles on her cheeks, and was wearing an outfit similar to what Teddy often wore. The boy beside her had a blue baseball cap with the bill positioned at the back of his head. He had straight length shaggy blonde hair that started to curl out from under the hat. Both were shaking their heads at each other and still putting up the flyers of a woman with two missing children. He felt like giving them some attention, as they appeared desperate.

"I'll be right back guys." Hopping from the fountain, he rushed over to the two, smiling slightly. "Hi, I couldn't help but overhear. Jasmine Booth? I just read an article on her. What's going on?" He paused and remembered he needed a greeting, he extended his hand and gave them an apologetic nod. "I'm PJ, by the way."

"I'm James," the boy said while shaking hands with him. "This is my, _sort of_ cousin, Opal." Opal waved and moved a flyer to the wall. There were no pictures, besides age progressed photos that PJ thought looked vaguely familiar. Of course, he wasn't about to say those photos had anything to do with himself or Teddy, after all, who wanted to admit that they could be missing children? Who even wanted to _think_ about that.

"Sort of, cousins?"

"Well yeah. My name's James Sloan, hers is Opal Booth. My mother is this woman's sister-" James pointed to the flyer and started to roll his eyes, as if the explanation was exhausting. Which it was. "Opal's dad is the older brother of Uncle Henry, Aunt Jasmine's husband." He breathed out and closed his eyes. "Each year we do this. Well, considering Opal flies down here for a month every year around Aunt Jasmine's birthday. She would have been fifty-one on April 23rd." He was disheartened to hear that news, of course, he was always sad when it came to hearing about this woman. Why? He didn't know. It was only May 4th, so not even two weeks from the woman's birthday. "Each year for a few weeks, we like to try and put up these flyers about Aunt Jasmine, she uh…passed back in 2000, Uncle Henry lives up in New York somewhere."

"I'm really sorry to hear about that."

"I wasn't quite eight when it happened," Opal stated. She had an almost musical tone to her voice, she could be a singer some day, just like Teddy. "James here, he's only a year younger than I am. I'll be turning twenty on the nineteenth, he turned nineteen April 15th."

"Cool, I don't turn nineteen until November." He was glad to meet some people his own age, even if one of them appeared to live in another area. "You say Jasmine's husband's living off in New York?"

"Yeah, mostly because my dad's lived there all his life. Uncle Henry needed to be around family when Aunt Jasmine passed on. He's been working hard ever since. Anyway, you said you read an article about her?" He nodded and glanced over at James, who was studying him closely. There was the question of what they could be thinking, or feeling, because he felt a strange connection with them that he didn't understand.

"I read about how she passed. My parents had the article printed out, and then Dad got upset over it." His voice trailed off and his eyes rolled. With a heavy sigh, he folded his arms over and shook his head. "Moving on. The article said something about her children."

"Yeah, our cousins." James handed him one of the flyers and continued to explain, "They were born in '93 and '95. David and April Booth." PJ turned his eyes to the flyer and felt his heart palpitate beneath his ribs. It was still depressing, these two were born not only the same year, but the same _month_ as he and Teddy were. "If you see anything or have any questions…we've put our numbers at the bottom of the flyer."

"All right, I'll do that." Though he figured it was best to keep the flyer away from his father, the man might tear _that_ up as well. Could his parents be capable of kidnapping? He started to feel a bitterness growing up inside as he shifted his eyes to the two cousins. He wondered, if by some strange chance, they were connected, what would life have been like growing up with them? They seemed nice, energetic, and all around friendly. They could have taken this town. "Maybe we ought to hang sometime?"

"I wish man, but I have to get back to the airport soon," Opal replied, "Dad and Uncle Henry are telling me it's time to get back to the big city. Unfortunately that means I can't stick around."

"Aw man!" James frowned and Opal laughed. "Oh, laughing at my pain are you?"

"Oh and why not? You laughed when I tripped on that sidewalk crack outside."

"That's _different_." The two began to walk off and PJ gazed on with amusement. They reminded him a little of him and his sister. How nice would it be to be a part of _their _family? Once more he thought on his own parents and whether or not they would have been capable of abduction. It didn't make a whole lot of sense to him, but there were several small, but _alarming_ factors that kept falling into place. His mind trailed off to a memory so old, he was certain it was forgotten. He'd blacked it out, purposely denied it and refused it, but now it was back again. Haunting him.

_"Just don't think about it, PJ. Thinking about it causes pain." _

_ Eight-year old PJ Duncan rode down the street on his bicycle, laughing as the wind blew across his face. He wasn't well aware of his surroundings, and he bumped into the neighbors front porch and flew off his bike into the grass. _

_ "You okay?" Someone asked. He groaned and lifted his head up to see the neighbor's kid, Rodney Dabney. He was fourteen, curly black hair and wore a chain necklace with a black shirt and deep blue jeans. He helped PJ up and dusted off his back. "Looks like you had quite the fall."_

_ "I'm fine." One to not let those scrapes and bruises damage him too much, he wanted to get right back onto his bike and fly some more. He turned his head to the bike and frowned, the front tire had come disconnected and the chain was separated. "My bike…"_

_ "It's okay, mom and dad can probably fix it." Rodney paused and lifted his shoulders. "Well dad, mom doesn't really like being nice…"_

_ "Your mom always tries to avoid us." Rodney frowned as he and PJ moved to the steps of the front porch. "She never talks to me or my sister." It hurt to think Mrs. Dabney didn't like them, and he always wanted to ask why that was. Unfortunately, she never bothered to stay longer to ask. "What did we ever do to her?"_

_ "It's not what you did. It's your parents, she just doesn't like or trust them. Good reason for it too." PJ looked up, finally noticing the apple in Rodney's hand. Rodney bit into the apple and chewed it for a minute, staring blankly at the Duncan's home. "Your brother was born a couple years ago, right? Do you remember your mom ever being pregnant?"_

_ "What? Mommy brought him home, said the stork dropped him off at the hospital." _

_ "Funny. You think babies come from the hospital. That's all right I guess, you're young enough to think that. It's not true though." PJ frowned and tilted his head to the side, he was confused. Didn't the stork drop off the baby at the hospital? Why wouldn't they? "You and your sister came in the world the same way your brother did, I remember, I was there to see. Your mom and dad walked into the house with you, but she was never pregnant. Mom works at the adoption agency and they never went there. It's kind of scary…"_

_ "I don't understand. The stork?"_

_ "One day you're going to need this information. There is no stork, PJ." Rodney's lips fell and he rubbed PJ's shoulder, attempting to soothe him somehow. PJ bowed his head and stared down at his feet. No stork? Then how were babies brought home? "Babies are born, but they need to be carried around inside their mother for nine months. If the stork were real, then that means he puts the baby inside the mom."_

_ "Oh. So inside mama?" He lifted up his head and grinned. Like magic, a small seed that they had to go to the hospital and take out. "Like a seed?" Rodney chuckled and took another bite of his apple._

_ "Something like that, but you won't learn that for a few years…But once it's inside the mom, her stomach grows bigger for nine whole months. Do you remember Petunia down the street?" PJ nodded and glanced to a blue house in the distance. Petunia moved away with her family about three months ago, but a year ago her belly had begun getting really big. She was only nineteen. Before she moved, her belly had gone down and she came home with a new baby. "She was pregnant. You remember what she looked like before she came home with her baby, that child was inside her for nine months."_

_ "Oh! But mommy never looked like that. Not with Gabe. She's always been skinny."_

_ "Exactly." Rodney took one final bite of the apple and tossed the core into a recycle bin next to the mailbox down on the curb. He laughed and pumped a fist in to the air. "Score!" After clearing his throat, he turned back to PJ. "Anyway. I think your parents are not good people. You might want to be aware of that…I think they steal babies."_

_ "No, they're good people. They wouldn't take babies! You're lying!" Not wanting to hear anymore, he quickly bounced from the steps and ran for his own house, ignoring his broken bike. He heard Rodney calling out to him, but he ignored the teen. He wasn't going to listen to this, his parents would never do something so evil. He ran through the door screaming, but his Dad didn't budge from the couch and his mom remained in the kitchen. "Mommy! Mommy I need you!"_

_ "Not now honey, I'm tired," Amy moaned. "Go upstairs and play with your toys darling." It was Teddy that came over to try and calm him down with a hug, despite not knowing why he was so terrified and so scared. _

_ "Don't think about it PJ," Teddy said with a soft, sisterly voice. "If it hurts, then it's bad. If it's bad, don't think about it and it'll go away. Right?"_

PJ shook his head and gasped out. He immediately began rubbing his pulsating temples and started walking back towards his friends. He hated that memory, it was too painful for him to acknowledge. He had to say, it was at least nice how the bike was returned to him the very next day, all in one piece and fixed up.

Could Rodney have been right? He didn't know, but maybe it called for a little research. Maybe it was time to stop vanquishing those thoughts, maybe it was time to start paying more attention to them. "You okay?" Teddy asked while hopping from her seat and putting a hand to his shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Headache."

"Maybe it's time to get home then. We'll get you some Tylenol and you can get to sleep." He smiled as their friends started to circle around them. His eyes drifted to the exit doors in the mal where James and Opal were walking out. His heart went out to them and he found himself wanting to run after them, but he didn't. There was no reason to, or at least, he didn't think there was.

"I don't know that Tylenol is going to fix this…"

* * *

Probably not.


	7. The Real Danger

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 7 (The Real Danger)

Gabe woke the next morning feeling like he was sleeping on an ocean, the sun was shining through the window and bathing him in warmth. He slowly sat up and gazed at the picture of Rodney on the desk in front of the bed. After a second, he realized he wasn't dreaming. Everything was real, everything that he'd been told, and everything he'd found out was true. Bob and Amy had really abducted him when he was a baby, he couldn't find the strength to deny it anymore.

Stomaching it wasn't so hard anymore, accepting it had been harder, but he had absolutely no choice. Just before managing to go to bed last night, he'd asked Mrs. Dabney if she could go through those records, to find out if there was _any chance_ he'd been adopted without her knowing. She called in a few favors from some coworkers and friends that were still around the center, they looked, but the closest client to Duncan in their center, or any other adoption agency around, was someone that adopted by the name of Rosalita Dune. Nobody by the name of Amy Duncan had _ever_ adopted in the state of Colorado.

As for the hospital, Gabe called Amy's former boss, Karen and asked if she could recall Amy giving birth at that hospital before. The answer? A big glaring _no_. Karen simply thought she had gone to the adoption agencies, as that's what she told others. Although Charlie _had_ been born at the hospital, there was no question about that. When he thought about it, he wondered if Charlie's birth was to throw off any suspicions and questions about the validity of the three elder Duncan children. After all, if the fourth child were a true birth, why wouldn't the older three be?

There was a question that PJ and Teddy were taken as well, it made sense that they could be. Why abduct a third child? What was the reason? He brushed off the question and looked to his phone on the desk, he had a text from Jo. When he checked it, he grew disheartened. She was asking if he was okay, then said they were at the store when Bob and Hugh started chasing him around. He raised an eyebrow and glanced up from the phone.

"I was never _at_ the store," he said with a quiet voice. Thinking fast, he dialed Jo, not paying attention to the time. When she answered, she was groaning.

"It's barely eight in the morning Gabe. What are you doing?"

"Sorry Jo, I just woke up, didn't realize how early it was."

"Well I'm awake now. What's up?"

His heart slammed against his chest and those tears that put him to sleep last night started to come back to his eyes. "It's true Jo, everything." He heard her soft gasp and knew he had her attention. "I wasn't adopted, I wasn't born to Bob and Amy. I don't even know who the hell they are anymore. Everything I thought I knew about them…" He wondered if _everything_ he knew about them had been a lie. Their school days, their stories about the past, what was the _truth_ behind who they were? "They could have fabricated everything just to keep us from…from realizing…"

"Gabe, I'm _so sorry_ you had to find out like this."

"Mrs. Dabney told me." He chuckled vainly as his tears streaked his face. "Funny. I wouldn't have thought she really would have known, but she worked at the adoption agency in the '90s. PJ and Teddy, I think they _might_ have been taken as well."

"Gabe…" He waited as a long pause came over the phone. Jo yawned and cleared her throat. "Dad looked into your dad's past, he has a friend in the police force who he plays pool with on a weekly basis. Now when I say he looked into your dad's past, I mean your _birth_ dad, Captain Brown. He knew Mr. Duncan."

"Really?" There was a surprise, but as what went in with surprises, secrets also came out. If they knew each other, then maybe that meant Bob either had run ins with the law, or there was motive for a child abduction case. "What history is there?"

"Captain Brown was his boss back in '99. Mr. Duncan was about three months on the job when he got drunk and slammed into Captain Brown's car. He was a Lieutenant at the time, so Lieutenant Brown. Anyway Bob was fired." Gabe's eyes grew large and a chill shot down his spine, the warmth of the room was gone, and he felt as if he were bathing in ice. Bob smashed into his father's car in '99? Fired from the job? Could he have been abducted all because Bob got _fired_ on the job? "And Gabe?"

"W-What?"

"A month later you were born where Amy works." Like a tidal wave, her words hit him and blew him back onto the bed. His legs gave out and his heart ceased beating. "Ever since, Bob's had several brushes with the law. Many times, Captain Michael's been the officer that's given him tickets for speeding, or even…Gabe. Captain Michael's had a few mysterious attempts on his life…" She was hesitating at various parts, unsure if she wanted to tell him this information.

He swallowed hard, his hand was shaking more than that of a dog splashed by frigid water. Had Bob tried to kill his father before? "A-Attempts?"

"Yes. All unexplained, but the ones that happened were usually a short period of time _after_ the conflict. Dad's friend told him off three times. One in '02 when Bob was ticketed on the freeway for driving ninety in a '60 zone. Captain Brown had to pull him over, even though he wasn't a traffic officer. About two weeks later, your dad saw Bob in a donut and bagel shop. Didn't say anything, ordered himself a bagel without coffee, was about to eat it and noticed something off…a little speck on his bagel. When he took it back, the cooks said they didn't know anything about it, went to see what was on it, and found it was laced with poison."

Gabe whimpered and ran his hand through his hair. What else was there? He wasn't sure he wanted to know, but at the same time, he felt like he _needed_ to know. Bob couldn't possibly be behind every attempt, police officers made _many_ enemies. However, events like that were just too coincidental. "Is…Is there anything else? I mean, is this documented?"

"It's all documented. Dad's friend said there was never enough evidence to say that Mr. Duncan did anything, so…no arrest has ever been made."

"What else Jo? What else is there?" She sighed heavily and continued on, possibly despite her better judgment. "I _need_ to know. I need to know if my dad's in danger…my real dad…my real family."

"Your family, maybe not. Your dad, seems to be able to take care of himself. He checks _everything_. In '05, a few weeks after having to escort Mr. Duncan from a bar for instigating a bar fight, your dad went into his office after seeing Mr. Duncan talking to his secretary. Once in, he inspected his chair and found a tiny bomb attached to the leg." Gabe's face began to drain of its color. As much as he wanted to deny all of this, he couldn't! Who the _hell_ was Bob Duncan? "And finally in '08, after yet another speeding ticket, your dad smelled something funny at a coffee shop, took a sip of his coffee and started to go into shock. The one time he didn't look…" Gabe's eyes widened and fear shattered his once peaceful world. "The paramedics and EMT were at the booth next to him, so they got to him in time…when they checked the cup, there was insect poison inside. The strange odor had been coming from that. Bob was on the other end of the store, gave the paramedics _tips_ on overcoming the poison. Apparently helping to save the man's life threw off suspicion that he would try to kill him."

"N-No…" The phone fell from his hand and he quickly buried his head into his hands, sobbing lightly. He wasn't one to cry, he _never_ cried, but to think that his dad had come so close to death, and the man he _thought_ was his father had been the one to bring him to his knees. It was unbearable. At least his real father was a strong man, to survive it all. He slowly lifted his head and stared at the phone, thinking of the sirens next door. "Jo, last night around five or six, I saw PJ and Teddy leave with their friends…about an hour later, the police were at the house…"

"Yeah, I think that was from the commotion at the store."

"That wasn't _me_ at the store. Anyway…the cops were probably there about that. When I looked out the window, cause I'm_ not_ going back to that house. Not now, not _ever-_"

"Right, you're still with Mrs. Dabney…"

"Yeah, but back to the cops. You remember the picture of my dad at that house? That was the man I saw at the door…talking to…_him_. You don't think anything bad could happen, do you?"

"Well, I don't know. If Mr. Duncan isn't in any legal trouble, maybe. What are you going to do?" Gabe grabbed up the phone and returned it to his ear, trying to push down the urge to vomit once again.

"Well like I said before, I'm _not_ going back to that place. If…Bob…did all that, then there's no way in hell I'm going back." He flicked his eyes towards the window and sighed. He couldn't bring himself to call that man his father anymore. He didn't _deserve_ to be called 'dad'. "I don't know what I'm going to do. I want to go back to where my real parents are, but I'm scared to."

"You should. You know they'd likely accept you into the house." He had no doubts about that, he was more nervous about the thoughts he was having regarding that life. What would his life have been like? What would have been different? What wonders could he and his twin sister have experienced? What adventures would they have had? How great would it have been to throw the ball with his father in the backyard, or to take a family vacation to the beach? The bastards next door _stole_ him, they _destroyed_ that! "It's better you find out now, right? I mean…if you ever had to find out, wouldn't you prefer it be now than when you're eighteen or nineteen?"

"Oh god!" Instantly PJ and Teddy returned to his mind. They had their entire _lives_ not knowing what their real families would have been like. All those experiences that he was feeling terrible about missing out on, they missed out on, and more. He had to tell them, but that was another issue of concern. How was he to tell them? "They need to know too…Teddy and PJ."

"You think they're likely to have been taken too? I know Charlie's actually Bob and Amy's kid, so…what's going to happen there?"

"I don't know. Mrs. Dabney says they'll lose Charlie, and this new baby. You know, if they're arrested for child abduction. She'll be put in the system, foster care and all."

"Right…and right now, do you think anyone's going to say anything? I mean, Dad's friend asked him why the sudden interest, so there might be an investigation soon…especially if someone says anything."

"Mrs. Dabney might say something, she's been afraid to speak out. I understand now what she said last night…" The prior night, Mrs. Dabney said there had been something about the parents that terrified her, but she couldn't put her finger on it. However, this fear kept her from speaking out at all. "I wonder if Deputy Dooley would know anything…"

"Oh! Dad's friend said Captain Brown was good friends with both the Chief and Deputy Chief, so he knows them very well."

"Well that's good…" Gabe eyed his old house across the way, a bitter taste formed in his mouth and he started to turn away. However, he couldn't, as he thought he saw _himself_ run past the window. It couldn't be, perhaps his mind was playing tricks on him. At least, he didn't think his twin would have ever found that house, and if she did, she certainly wouldn't go in there would she?

Denise dressed quickly and grabbed the flyer from the end table beside the bed that PJ had brought home with him. She looked to his bed and sighed, he was not there thankfully. Of course she'd been terrified to find out she had to share a room with the elder brother, but that was the cost of going incognito, _every one_ of them had to think she was Gabe.

She turned her head to the window and felt her heart jump to her chest, she thought for a moment that her brother had been out there, or at least some place nearby. She couldn't believe he never came home last night, but with this flyer PJ brought home, and with Gabe visiting them yesterday, maybe the older three were starting to suspect something.

"Not Gabe!" Charlie's voice erupted from behind. She flinched and looked back at the toddler who was pointing and shaking her head. "Where is Gabe? You're not Gabe."

"No…No I'm not," she said with a soft whisper. She walked over and knelt beside her. "But you have to listen to me very carefully, because I know how you feel. Not knowing where your brother is, not understanding…lost, confused, and maybe even scared…" Her eyes started to glaze over and her chest was beginning to ache. The toddler gazed at her with mild concern, perhaps she knew there was nothing wrong with her since she _looked_ like Gabe. "My name is Denise, Denise Brown, and your brother…is really my twin, Daniel Brown. I've been looking for him my entire life…I don't expect you understand what that means, but I know you'll understand this. I'm here because I _have_ to find him. I don't know my brother, but I know I love him, and I want to find him no matter what…even if that means infiltrating the home of the people who stole him from me, stole him from mom and dad…"

"Gabe? Stolen?" Charlie started sniffling and sat down on the ground. Denise gasped and sat with her.

"No, no, it's okay Charlie. Right now, he's most likely safe."

"Safe?"

"Yes. Safe." She lifted her head to the doorway and frowned as she felt a sense of dread growing inside her. "Safer than I am, probably. Wherever he is…"

"It's not safe here?" Denise didn't want to fill Charlie's head with confusion or anything that would cause her trauma, even though that trauma was inevitable. It was coming, and she knew it. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I don't know how much you understand from what I'm saying, and I don't want to scare you, but you need to be aware…your parents might not be who you think."

"I know." She raised an eyebrow as Charlie reached for the flyer and. She pat the age progressed photo and Denise slowly looked toward the image, concerned. "PJ was mumbling, and I heard Daddy tell Mommy…not theirs. PJ, Teddy, Gabe, not theirs. They talk about it all the time." She gasped and slowly put her hand to her mouth, shocked that such a young girl would say such a mouthful. Maybe she understood more than she thought, but then, the baby in those dreams she had often said so much with one silent wail. "What's going to happen?"

"I don't know Charlie…" She bowed her head and felt a guilty presence in her heart. She knew very well what would happen, but didn't want to tell the girl. When the police investigated, the parents would be taken away and Charlie placed in foster care. When Amy gave birth to her next child, she would lose that one as well. The parents could very well be going away for life. Charlie might never see them again. "I know they're your real parents, you were not taken, but…I'm not sure entirely what will happen to you, little one."

"What about PJ and Teddy? Gabe?"

"I don't know about them either…if they'll ever be reunited with their parents or not. Gabe, though, he found us...yesterday…maybe he'll go back home, to mom and dad."

"Will he be safe?"

"Safe?" She smiled and her heart rose up in her chest. Indeed he would be. "Yes, he will be safe. He will be loved too."

"Good. If Gabe safe, then I'm happy." Denise smiled and rubbed Charlie's head.

"I'm glad. My dad's a high ranking police officer, so maybe I'll put in a good word for you. You're kind of cute, you know that?" Charlie giggled and started to stand. "Just…you cannot tell your parents who I am, okay? They need to think I'm Gabe. I don't know what'll happen if they find out that I'm his sister."

"Okay." She watched the little girl bounce out of the room and rose to her feet with a sigh. She turned her head towards the window and gazed wistfully at the house next door. She thought she saw him for a minute, but maybe it was a mirage. Something she wanted so badly, and yet it was so far away. "So close…but so far, yet closer than I've ever been to you…" From Daniel to Gabe, it was quite the name change, but still a biblical name no less. Maybe she could get used to the name difference, she didn't think her mother would ask him to change his name back to Daniel unless he actually wanted to.

As she wiped a tear from her eyes, she moved out of the room. She knew he was in pain, she could feel it. He had to be, given what he was probably discovering. "Don't be afraid…Mom and Dad will keep you safe…" Though to her, she did get that terrifying sense that Bob was more dangerous than she originally thought, and since she couldn't leave the house on her own, this made matters worse. Funny, now Gabe might have to find _her_. She chuckled vainly and peered down the steps. "Nah, I'm fine."

* * *

Well I'm sure you didn't see all that coming. You know, even though Charlie is innocent in all this, and the actual child of Bob and Amy, she's sadly going to wind up being a victim. At her aged, going through what she's about to go through, can cause a lot of mental problems for the future. Well at least Gabe knows a bit more about Bob, but it does put Denise into some _serious danger_. Maybe even PJ and Teddy, or perhaps, other innocent bystanders...keep reading.


	8. Shocked and Numb

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 8 (Shocked and Numb)

Teddy finished breakfast with her two siblings, who had not said very much at all throughout the morning. She was eyeing Gabe intensively, still certain something was off, her brother often did not stop talking. "Gabe, you've not said much at all." She was worried something was wrong, though lately both Gabe and PJ seemed to have something going on that they didn't talk much about. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine." She frowned skeptically and crossed her arms over as Gabe moved from the table and rushed from the room. Something was off and she needed to know. Once PJ got up from the table, he stated he was off to the library, which was probably going to leave Teddy all by herself.

"Come on, it's the weekend, and since when do _you_ go to the library?" PJ chuckled and pulled his jacket from the back of the chair. She knew he'd taken up researching this Jasmine Booth woman, but she didn't know why. She'd not asked, but chances were he would tell her if and when it became important enough to tell. "I'm just shocked you won't be talking to Skyler all day long as usual." He chuckled and shoved his arm into his jacket sleeve.

"She's busy today. She's staying over at her Uncle's place to help out around the house since his boss decided to pull all the employees in for an extra hard day. I'm telling you, that man is _devoted_ to his job."

"You almost have to be in this day and age." In truth, she really didn't want to be left alone in the house with Bob, not after yesterday. He seemed a little more out of it than anything. "Anyway, you go on and have fun at the library, I'll be sitting right here. Not going anywhere. _Bored_, with no one to talk to." PJ laughed and reached over, hugging her. She smiled at him and felt the warmth of brotherly love comforting her. "I can always call up Ivy or Spencer if I need anyone to talk to, I guess."

"You'll be fine. If you need me for anything, call me." She put her hand up and saluted him as he started walking away, off to study his newest obsession.

She stared down at her empty plate, groaning at the memory of Hugh's words. She wasn't interested in being a 'missing child', she didn't want to think that she could _ever_ be that person, that girl. _Children are abducted every day_. To think she could be taken from a hospital, it was _absurd_. What nurse at that hospital would honestly take a baby? Just as the thought crossed her mind, Amy walked in to clear the table.

"Hey sweetie," Amy said with a brightened smile. "How were the muffins?"

"Very nice. Full of blueberries." She leaned back in the chair and gazed at the kitchen window. She heard the sink turn on. With a heavy sigh, she turned to her mom, figuring she may as well ask. "Mom, does the name Jasmine Booth mean _anything _to you?" She couldn't see Amy's face, but she did see her upper body flinch for a very brief second. The woman turned off the water and turned around, smiling cheerfully.

"Why yes, she was a fellow med student and coworker back in the early '90s. She was thinking about a career change, the last I heard, possibly teaching." Teddy slowly nodded and looked way for the moment. She never heard of the woman before, but then, Amy didn't talk much about her college days. "She passed away in 2000. It was such a shame." She felt a pang in her heart and moved her hand to her chest. Her eyes drifted to the kitchen doorway where Gabe was peering through, a curious look on his face. "Why?"

"Oh I don't know, PJ's been looking her up." A look of terror flashed by Amy's face, but Teddy brushed it off as just her imagination. "He says the woman lost a child, abduction. Don't even worry about it."

"Okay sweetie…" Teddy rushed from her chair and guided herself to the bedroom where she pulled her phone out and called for her grandmother. She had a feeling she wasn't getting anything out of her mother, so maybe her grandma would know. It was doubtful, since the woman almost never wanted to talk to any of them. She didn't like them, didn't even seem to like her own daughter, and she never bothered to explain why that was. When her grandmother did answer, it was with a heavy groan, as if she were not wanting to talk.

"Hey Grandma, sorry to bother you…I was just wondering…" She looked to her door and exhaled. She didn't know the connection, the reason, that she cared enough to ask about this Jasmine woman. It wasn't like it mattered to her. Besides, she was gone now. "I don't know if you know anything about mom's life in Med School, but have you ever heard of a woman named Jasmine Booth?"

"You mean Sunice," the woman corrected. Teddy was taken aback by the direct, abrupt tone. "I think she may have married a man named Booth, not sure, but at least I remember her as Jasmine Sunice. Although Amy always called her 'Jazzy'. The two of them were best friends growing up." Amy had neglected that _tiny_ little detail. Teddy raised an eyebrow and looked up to the ceiling.

"They 'were' best friends, Grandma?"

"Don't call me Grandma." The woman paused, "it makes me feel old." Teddy rolled her eyes and fell back onto her bed. "Yes they were best friends, until High School. They had this major fight over this guy, I don't know if you heard of him, Bob Diddlebock?" Teddy moved her hand over her mouth and her eyes grew bigger than the moon. "The guy dated Jasmine, dumped her and went over to Amy, then cheated on Amy by trying to win back Jazzy. The girls fought like cats and dogs. You know your mother, stubborn as hell, never giving up, I couldn't talk her _out_ of staying out of trouble."

"What do you mean?"

"Jazzy gave up the fight a long time before your mother did, that's all I'm saying. Thought it was over after high school graduation, I was wrong." The woman clicked her tongue with disappointment and Teddy felt a sudden wave of depression hit her. Could her mother have done something bad to her former best friend? If so, _what_? Was there _more_ to this story than she knew? Probably, but the question was, did she want to know? Did she care? She was intrigued. "In High School, your mom messed up her prom dress by cutting it up. Vandalized the whole stage to the point that when Jazzy was crowned Prom Queen, with her Prom King, Henry, this giant ball of melted chocolate with tiny thumbtacks spilled out onto her and her new dress…"

"Oh my _god_. You're _joking_!" The grandma seemed eager to color Amy in a bad light, so maybe she knew something else. Maybe this was the reason she didn't like her daughter all that much anymore.

"Nope. You can ask your Aunt Diane, she was there when it happened. The police showed up at my door later and gathered Amy's information, just that, they didn't need an arrest. Now when Jazzy showed up in college and med school, oh the bad blood came back to life, I am telling you!"

"Is that why you moved to Palm Springs? To get away from the drama?"

"Hell yes! The entire damn family. Why do you think no one in the family bothers with you all? No offense, I'm sorry to sound so harsh, but…there's just something evil about your father, and I think your mother caught a whiff of it herself. Amy never, ever, left poor Jazzy alone."

"I see…" When her grandma spoke of Jasmine, she had an endearing tone, as if she thought of Jasmine as her own daughter. It seemed right, for someone that was so close growing up. This news was shocking, terrifying, and for some reason, it made sense. "One more question, Grandma…"

_Who is Amy Duncan? Who is Bob Duncan? What life had they led? _

Teddy cleared her throat and shut her eyes. "Do you think Gabe, or any of us, are adopted?"

"Adopted? No. Birthed? I don't remember Amy being pregnant. So do the math. I need to go, I think I left the curling iron on…" Teddy started to say something when her grandmother clicked off the phone. She kept the phone glued to her ear, her eyes began to water, full of tears.

What if it was true? What if she _was_ this April Booth girl? Her stomach started to spin with the room. What if Amy had been _so_ hateful towards Jasmine, that she took her daughter away at the hospital? PJ said Jasmine had killed herself in 2000, matching what Amy said about her passing. He said she'd been depressed, she'd lost a child.

"No…it isn't that, it can't be. Impossible. Mom would never!" Teddy moved her phone down and ran upstairs, catching her mom on the couch with Bob. She started to ask more about Jasmine, but withheld, and ran upstairs without being sure of what she wanted to do.

As she stepped on the top floor, her phone went off, it was Gabe, but why would he be calling her if she were in another room? She answered the phone and heard his frantic voice. "You need to get out of that house. Both you and PJ."

"What? Gabe slow down. What's wrong? Besides, why are you calling me?" She didn't hear his voice in the background, which was odd, but maybe he was downstairs where she couldn't hear him.

"Because…listen…those two? Bob and Amy? They're not who you think they are." Teddy rolled her eyes and continued trying to force her thoughts from her. "I know what you're going to do, I know you and PJ like to try and deny things…to sort of blot out what's going on around you, but _please_, you have to allow it this time."

"Gabe, cool it, what's going on?"

"What's going on? What's going on? Teddy, I was kidnapped as a baby! That's what's going on! Bob has tried to murder my birth father before, many times!" Teddy froze and slowly looked down the steps at her parents. The wind had been knocked out of her, her lungs were crumpled and her heart was starting to beat very rapidly. "My father is Captain Brown, I have a twin sister, my birth mother is the woman from that commercial…Bob used to work for my dad back in '99 when he was on the police force. A month before my birth, Teddy…not even a full month by the sound of it…Bob got drunk, _very_ drunk, and ran into my dad's car." She swallowed hard and took a step back, shaking her head as she eyed her parents below.

"I-I don't…that just can't be, Gabe…"

"I'm not lying! I bet I could prove it to you too! Hell, if I knew where my sister was right now, but maybe I do, she's probably at the address where my parents are!"

"I don't need that Gabe. I don't need any of this."

"Teddy. He was fired…Bob was fired by my dad…and then a month later, Captain Brown's wife loses one of her twins at the hospital. Child abduction, they suspected a nurse did it. _The same hospital mom works at_." How could this be? Gabe was in the house, wasn't he?

Her eyes started to water and her hand flew over her eyes as the nausea began to set in. It sounded probable, it all made sense, but if this were true, then what the hell was she going to do? She stammered and took another step backwards. "I-I don't know Gabe, it all seems…it just doesn't seem real. Maybe adoption?" No, her grandmother said Amy never adopted. Amy didn't believe in adoption.

"I know, nothing seems real right now, Teddy. How can it _be_ real? That's what I was thinking, that's how I felt, but Mrs. Dabney…she worked at that adoption agency, and she's looked, there's no record of Amy Duncan adopting _anywhere_. Even her former boss Karen said there's no birth records of Amy having any children before Charlie. Charlie _is_ her first and only child!"

"That's _impossible_ Gabe!" She was fighting the denial, but she was also fighting the truth. Gabe's words made sense, they did. "Besides, how can you be so worried about all this?" Why would he be lying? "Aren't you-"

"I'm over at Mrs. Dabney's house. I have been ever since yesterday. Whatever commotion happened at the store, was not caused by me." Her eyes widened and she flashed back to the store yesterday.

"A girl. There was a girl there. She looked like you…"

"My sister! Denise! I haven't spoken with her, but I saw her. Yesterday, when Jo and I left, we went to that amusement park to talk to the manager."

"The guy that ran the commercial? Right…he wouldn't tell us where you went."

"He didn't know. We found them, Captain Brown…I found my _mom_, Teddy." The pieces were beginning to come together, all a part of the big puzzle. "Hell, I wouldn't be so wrong to believe they might trace our phones, or at the very least, I don't know…haven't you ever wondered why Bob and Amy are so controlling? Why they have to know _everything_? I'm just surprised they don't know that I'm at Mrs. Dabney's right now…"

"You're at Mrs. Dab-how can that be possible? You're…" She backed into the bathroom door and felt it beginning to open. She slowly turned around and gasped at the sight she saw. Standing in front of the bathroom mirror, adjusting her long, flowing, brown hair, was the girl she saw at the store. Her phone slipped from her hand, shattering onto the floor, but she didn't even realize it. The girl turned around, staring with wide eyes. "Wha…no…I…"

"Hi. I'm Denise Brown…" Denise chuckled nervously, like a thief caught red handed. Teddy cupped her mouth and started backing up, all her doubts and denials trashed in an instant.

* * *

And now it's kicking into high gear. Next chapter "Run, Teddy, Run". She's learned a lot in this chapter, perhaps she bit off more than she can chew, and it just hit her like a ton of bricks. Pity she was the only one of the three not searching for answers.


	9. Run, Teddy, Run

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 9 (Run, Teddy, Run)

_Who am I? Who are they? Lies, everything, trust broken. What is real?_

"No." She started to feel her knees giving out a single sob threw her tears from her face. "It's not true, say it's not true, god please…"

"What's not true? I'm Denise, I'm sorry for deceiving you, I just…I needed to find out _why_. I needed my brother. It's true…he was taken by these people…"

"What about _me? _Would you even know?"

"I know. My dad's the Captain…you were taken too, but don't worry, I know your-" That was it, she didn't want to hear another word. Terrified, scared and alone, unable to stand anymore, she ran.

"Teddy? What's wrong?" She heard Amy cry out to her. She ignored her and charged from the door, swearing not to tell them where she was going. Not now, not _ever_. She didn't want to be found. She didn't want to be missing, but she did not want to be found.

"Get back here!" Bob yelled in an angry voice. She heard Amy chastise him. She started for the car, but bypassed it, remembering Gabe's suggestion of there being trackers.

It was possible, if everything he said were true, her parents could very well have trackers on everything. She reached for her pocket, but was shocked to discover her phone was still back there. She remembered it breaking on the floor, and desperation seeped in. She couldn't call PJ, she couldn't warn him, but he might know. If anything, he might still be their true child. They wouldn't hurt their real children. She hoped, for his sake, that he was.

She couldn't call Ivy or Spencer either, but she was definitely going to locate them. Ivy wasn't far away, she just needed to get there first. Would Bob think to look for her there? Would she be safe?

The adrenaline kept her going, for as long as her feet could carry her. Eventually she burst through the Wentz household, still in rivets and tears as she flew into Mary-Lou, screaming. Ivy had been on the couch, but within seconds, she was beside Teddy. "What's wrong, Teddy? What happened! Are you okay?"

"No! No, no, no!" Booth, April Booth. Jasmine Booth. Her mother was _dead_. _Her real mother was dead_. "I have no parents!" She bawled and punched the floor. Ivy looked up to her mother in frantic concern. Mary-Lou mentioned calling Bob and Amy to see what was going on, but just as she reached for the phone, Teddy cried out to her. "No! You can't call them! Please, you can never call them!"

"Why? They're your parents?"

"No! They're not…I don't know _who_ they are anymore…"

"Did you have a fight?" Mary-Lou asked astonishingly. Teddy sobbed harder and shook her head. She could barely breathe. "Okay, it's okay, come on…let's get you cleaned up." She felt herself being lifted and pulled to the couch.

"I can't go back there. I can't. My parents, they're not my parents. They stole me…my real mother is dead. Jazzy…my parents are gone. Amy might have lied, she might have killed them."

"That's a bold statement," Ivy suggested with skepticism. She raised an eyebrow and gazed out at the windows. "Them? Murder?"

"I don't _know_ what happened. I don't know…Gabe found out he was abducted, Charlie's their only real child, or maybe PJ's theirs too. At least, I think he is. Gabe said his birth father's Captain Mike Booth, and that he used to be Bob's boss back in '99. He was fired by Captain Booth just a month before Gabe was born…Bob's tried to kill the man. That's what Gabe said."

"Okay!" Mary-Lou said with a quiet voice. "I think we just need to grab the phone and call them, clear all this up."

"No!" Who could she trust? She bolted from the door as Ivy called out to her. Her heart was splitting, fracturing like a puzzle. She loved her best friend, but in all honesty, who could she trust that wouldn't think she was nuts? She needed to go somewhere, she needed to be with someone, but there was one things she was certain of, she was _never_ going back to Bob and Amy.

She was terrified of them now, and she had to wonder. Whoever she hung out with now, were they in any trouble? If Mary-Lou indeed were to have called them, saying all of this, what would happen to her if it were all true?

Could she go to Spencer? He would protect her, wouldn't he? Who was she kidding, he was the guy that cheated on her with someone so long ago! Would he _really_ be able to take this kind of pressure? This kind of stress and trouble? Would she even be _safe_ with him? She wasn't safe with Ivy, she knew that, but only because Mary-Lou didn't understand. The woman was likely to call Bob and Amy.

As she ran, she thought she saw the family car in the distance. She jumped behind a house and hid near a shrub, watching as the car sped past, going directly for the Wentz home. She whimpered and put her hand to her stomach, feeling it churn and bubble inside.

She mentally asked the owners of this house and this shrub to forgive her, as she released her stomach contents onto the bush.

_Who can I trust? Who won't hurt me, who won't lie to me? Who is safe?_

It dawned on her, someone they wouldn't expect her to run to. Someone they wouldn't even go to if they thought for a minute that she was there. She would be safe, even if it were only temporary. She poked her head from the shrub, slowly wiping her mouth and groaning to herself. There was no more time to wait.

She ran, once more, as fast as her legs could take her down the street. _Spencer?_ Out of the question. When they realized she wasn't at Ivy's, he'd be the next person they flagged down. _Emmet? _Emmet wouldn't work either, but only because they knew him. Besides that, he'd freak out himself over this, and that would make her freak out even more. Already an emotional wreck, she did _not_ need that.

No. The house she arrived at was none other than the home of Deputy Chief Doug, and his wife, Debbie Dooley. When she ran inside, she was still a blubbering mess, but she'd at least been able to process _some_ of the bad news. However, just like downloading something on a computer, she was far away from 100%. Debbie was on the couch, sipping some coffee when she came bursting through the door, the woman rose up, nearly spilling her cup.

"Teddy! Don't you know not to barge into someone's house like that? Especially with who my husband is?"

"I'm sorry! Just please…_please_ keep me here!" She hurried to the woman and hugged her, weeping onto her shoulders. Concerned, Debbie gently pat her back and gazed down at her.

"It's okay. Whatever it is, it's going to be okay."

"No. No it's not…where's Mr. Dooley?" She stepped back and wiped her eyes as she took a seat on the couch.

"He's at work, he won't be home for another ten to twelve hours. I can't call him while he's at work, so…can I call your parents?"

"No! I'll just wait…I need to talk to your husband, I really do." Debbie frowned and slowly nodded her head, still concerned, but a bit confused. "I promise I won't freak out on your daughter's toys if you let me stay here with you today and _don't_ call Bob or Amy." Debbie's eyebrows rose and she slowly brought the cup to her lips.

"Well okay then, if you say so. I've never heard you refer to them by name, what is the problem?"

"Just trust me…I'm scared, I'm confused, and I don't know what to do. I don't want to talk to anyone _but_ Mr. Dooley. I know him, so I know he can be trusted. I also know no one's going to hurt him. So if I'm here, no one's going to hurt me. You'll keep me safe until he gets home, right?"

"Yes of course." Debbie set her mug down and hugged her close. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Water please…I don't know how much I just ran, but…" She gasped and put her hand to her mouth, finally realizing something she didn't pay any mind to. Bob and Amy had gone to the Wentz home! "Oh god! Ivy might be in danger!" Teddy put her hands to Debbie's wrist and shot a frightened look into the woman's soft eyes. She was really scared to bring the police into this, but she had to. She didn't really want police involved unless she knew the facts, but what choice did she have? "I don't know if they are or not, but you need to call the police and send them to my friend Ivy's home."

"Dear, if I call the police and there's no danger-"

"But there could be! Bob and Amy went over there! Amy's crazy, ask the police to check her records. Colorado keeps their records forever, right?"

"Yeah, if a name's in the system…"

"Amy Duncan, or Blankenhopper dumped chocolate sauce and sharp objects on her best friend during prom. The police took down her information, she's in the system…Bob Duncan might be in it too. They're dangerous."

"Dangerous? Those two? Goodness no."

"They _are!_ Ask your husband even! Just please, call the police…tell them to go to Mary-Lou Wentz's home, that there are two people there that might hurt them."

"Before I do that, can you call your friend Ivy and be absolute _certain_ whether or not they're in any danger?" Mrs. Dooley had a point, a very valid one at that. "Here…" She took the cordless phone and handed it over, to which Teddy dialed her friend's number and tried to keep calm. When Ivy's voice came over the phone, she was very relieved.

"I-Ivy. You're safe."

"Of course I am, Girl. Your parents are worried to death about you! Where are you? We're all looking."

"I can't tell you right now. I promise you, I'm okay."

"Are you with Spencer?"

"No. I am not. You're all okay?"

"Yes. I mean we're with your parents right now looking for you, but-" Instantly she hung up the phone. She didn't want her parents to have any semblance that she was talking to Ivy. She wondered what it meant, since she had been hearing the rumbling of the road in the background.

"So they're okay?"

"Yeah, they're safe, I think." She put her hand to her chest and breathed in slowly. All she had to do now was sit and wait. Mr. Dooley would be home soon enough. When he was home, she'd ask for him to keep her safe and report to him that there was a chance her parents were child abductors.

She needed to think about something else, anything else, if she could. She had to force it. "So…How is Dee?"

"Oh she's doing well. A real troublemaker with a lot of spunk and life. She'll grow into a nice young woman I'm sure." Teddy smiled and looked over to the hallway where the toddler was walking from. Dee-Dee looked up at her and laughed happily.

"Teddy!"

"Aw she remembers me." Teddy walked over and lifted Dee-Dee up. The toddler hugged her, a calming gesture. There was just something warm about receiving a hug from a baby. She sniffled and wiped her eyes. "Sorry Mrs. Dooley, I know I'm a wreck…"

"It's okay, I'll grab you a bottle of water and a wet rag." Debbie got up and moved for the kitchen.

"I appreciate that. Thanks for everything…" At least here, she could process everything. She needed time to think about everything, to understand and to realize what was going on in her life. She didn't want Ivy or Spencer thinking she didn't trust them, but maybe it was for the best that she not worry them right now. She looked to Dee-Dee and smiled softly. "At least you have your mother, and a home. I hope you will have a happy life as long as you live."

* * *

Well, Teddy on the run, Gabe's next door, Denise in an empty house, and PJ's at the library. Oh, and the Wentz family is driving with Bob and Amy trying to find Teddy. A lot happened in this chapter, what did you think?


	10. PJ's Investigation

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 10 (PJ's Investigation)

PJ stared, frozen, at the library computer. His hand trembled over the mouse and his stomach tightened. This was all too much to bear, all _too much_. Although he'd already _suspected _something was off about Bob and Amy, already been researching for some time ever since Gabe started complaining of the nightmares, he hadn't quite been prepared for the gravity of this situation. He hadn't known just what he'd find, and it was indeed shocking. He'd been at the library for hours now, researching, and finally he stumbled on the truth, through the public database. Both of his parents were in it. In 1991, Amy Duncan burglarized a gas station. In 1990, Bob Duncan took a joyride in a cop car and punched out a police officer. Amy only took jail time for two years while Bob only got fined.

The thing that was shocking about it was, how in the _hell_ could she have gotten impregnated with him? The amount of time she spent in prison meant she certainly wasn't having sex with Bob. Not at the prison she was at, they didn't allow those types of visits. Although the question of his birth was not the only thing coming to mind. There was the issue of the various scrapes with the law that Bob had running in a wide range from the early '80s, and continuing on to '08. The earliest offense was in '78 when he took cocaine to high school.

These were things he never knew about his parents. He'd even stepped out of the library to talk to his grandmother, who complained about already being called on by Teddy. She told him everything about Bob and Amy's high school experiences. Now, he was just dumbfounded. Sure there was good reason to keep these from your children, but was it necessary to hide all the facts? His father punching out an officer, believable. The man had started many fights, and in all honesty, Bob's own father was an aggressive man who believed in battles as well.

He called that man up as well after having talked to his grandmother, and the man _still_ didn't know his name. It was evidenced when he started carrying on about how he wasn't Bob's son, and how Amy never got pregnant. These only stirred up more questions that he'd been asking himself for an extremely long time. Such as, if Bob and Amy were not his parents, who _were_ his true parents? More research was required, but he honestly had his doubts.

His phone began to vibrate and he groaned in exhaustion, he was tired of running back and forth with the device. Just as sure as the librarians were tired of it. He grabbed the phone and ran outside, answering it. It was not the man he wanted to hear from.

"PJ, are you still at the library?" Bob asked with a rapid voice. "Just making sure."

"Yes..."

"You might want to stay there for a little while." He raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side. He put his hand to his waist and sighed as the wind blew past him.

"Why? What's going on?"

"Nothing. Just stay there. You can come home during supper. Also, if you hear from your sister, we'd like her to come home."

"Teddy? Is she okay?"

"She went to a friend's house, but left her phone here." Right. Her phone. He tried to call her earlier, but it went directly to voicemail. He pulled his phone from his head and looked to it, he had a missed call from Gabe. It was fine, he would talk to him when he did get back home. Of course, the incessant beeping now was from Emmett.

"Okay. I need to let you go, Emmett's calling me." Bob started to say something, but he switched calls over. Just hearing the man's voice was, for some reason, annoying and agitating. "Emmett? What's up man?"

"I don't know what it is, but Ivy's not answering her phone! Is she mad at me or something? Her parents aren't answering, she's not answering, what's going on man? Maybe they'll answer for you?" His brow furrowed and a very suspicious feeling came over him. "Look dude, if you do hear from her, tell her I'm sorry I forgot to pick her up from the restaurant the other day. Sorry I made her have to walk."

"Oh right…" Ivy had been stuck at some restaurant a few days ago with no ride, as her current ride had abandoned her. Teddy was on a date with Spencer, so she called up Emmett, who got caught up playing the drums when he said he needed 'five minutes' to finish some song he was working on. That five minutes turned into ten, which turned into thirty, and then two hours. "Don't worry I'll tell her, and I'm sure it's nothing man. Look, I'm finishing up some research, can I talk to you in a little while?"

"Sure bro." PJ parted and hung up his phone. He was full of concern for Ivy now, but he didn't really think there was anything to worry about. He had other matters he needed to finish up on. As he walked inside, his mind went to Teddy and Gabe, he hoped they were okay.

PJ entered the quiet home and slowly lifted a cell phone from the arm of the couch. It was Gabe's phone, or so he thought it was. When he turned it over, he found the image of a dog pasted to the back. "Who's phone is this?"

"Oh that's mine!" A voice called out. He turned his eyes to the kitchen to see Gabe walking out with Charlie following her.

"Not Gabe!" Charlie said while pointing. PJ raised an eyebrow and watched Denise remove her hat. His jaw fell and his eyes started to grow. He moved his mouth to speak, but no words came out, he was too stunned for them. This whole day had been very revealing to him, and _now_, he was even more concerned.

"I'm Denise…" Denise put her hat back on and walked to the couch, sighing heavily. "I figured I may as well reveal myself, no one is home…" He expected someone to be there, as he came home earlier than Bob told him to. He did this with the intention of finding out what he was up to. He did drive by the Wentz house. Their car was in the drive, but nobody was home.

"D-Denise? You…Okay, what's going on? I _know_ something's up." He walked to the couch and took a seat. Gabe had a twin, that much was certain. Only thing was, how could he have a twin when he wasn't even adopted? Then again, everything had already started coming together for him. When he found out what his father had been up to in his past, he put that with the things Rodney told him when he was a kid, the fact that Amy hadn't _ever_ been pregnant, and finally what his grandparents told him, he _knew_. He knew Gabe wasn't a part of the family, he couldn't have been. He was abducted, and likely that's what he was trying to tell him when PJ missed his call.

Then there was the question of Jasmine "Jazzy" Booth, the woman his grandmother told him about, claiming Teddy asked about her as well. When he investigated, he saw the missing child in 1993 had an identical birthday. When he examined the age progressed photo, of _himself_, he had to push away those doubts and the denials. The same ones that he just knew Teddy would likely freak out over if this was happening to her.

_I have to be the strong one. I can't freak. I'm the oldest, I must be strong in the eyes of deception and darkness. I cannot waver, I must hold my stance, I must be powerful and protect._

However he couldn't deny the feelings of loss, of mistrust, of betrayal. He'd informed Skyler and had booked an immediate flight to New York. Assuming his parents could tell him something that made him realize he _wasn't_ one of the abducted ones, then he would stay. However if they told him the truth, that he was, or if they blatantly lied again, he was out.

"So am I to think everything's true, Denise? Gabe was stolen?" Denise pulled her papers from her pocket and showed him, nodding firmly.

"Yes. So were you." In his haste, he paid and made the flight for one person. He couldn't change it, though, or else he'd have to wait. He didn't know if Teddy might have the same parents, but right now, he only wanted to get to Skyler. She and her parents were going to help him, whether or not he could find his own father. He still wasn't certain he was going to look. Once in New York, he wasn't going to abandon his baby sister, but he had no way to locate her now. "Teddy left in a rush, her phone's busted…"

"Okay…" Ivy wasn't answering and Spencer said he hadn't seen Teddy, however PJ was going to keep close communication with him. He told Spencer simply, if he sees Teddy, to tell her immediately to call him and get on a flight to New York, he would only explain to her. There was no need to involve anyone else in this, it could risk that person's safety if Bob and Amy found out they knew.

He gazed at the photos and tried to stomach them, he'd managed to force down the urge to vomit all this time, and now he was still fighting that urge. _Eighteen years_. He had spent many hours just contemplating the truth, trying hard to deny it, but as much as he wanted to, he couldn't.

A car engine moved into the driveway and PJ quickly glanced at the door. He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly, he _had_ to maintain control of this situation. If he didn't, he was as good as dead. Or at least, for all he knew given Bob's record of aggressiveness, it could be a literal thing too. "Okay just stay quiet Denise, I need to ask them a few questions…I need to be sure, if there's _any_ chance of them being redeemed…"

"You think they're redeemable? I'm not too sure about that." Denise pushed her phone into her pocket and pulled out a small tape recorder. He was surprised to see she'd been doing an investigation of her own. "It won't be worth anything in court, but at least it'll help my dad. I've recorded _everything_."

"Amazing…" He was tempted to listen to that instead, but no, he wanted to hear it from the source itself. "You honestly pulled on quite an investigation?"

"My dad being a cop means I've got knowledge about how the field works, yes. Unfortunately it means I might have a tendency to get myself caught in places I really shouldn't be." She chuckled nervously and he gently shook his head. He'd have to keep her safe too, now. Maybe after this, he would take her to her own family. The twins had to at least be reunited, and at the very least, he could contact Gave and found out where _he _was.

"You know how dangerous Bob is? Or at least, the things I've found out…"

"I have an idea…so yes, I know he could potentially be dangerous."

"And you _still_ came here? Are you insane?" She chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of her head. Why was he bothering with the question? She was related to Gabe, after all, so she _must_ have some craziness inside her. Even if that meant getting herself into loads of trouble. "So you're going to get into some serious trouble when you get home, you do know that right?"

"Well. If it means seeing my brother, then it's a risk I'm willing to take. I _have_ to see him, I can't go any longer without him."

"Sibling bond, huh? I know the feeling…" He slid his hands along his jeans and sighed. What was taking Bob and Amy so damn long? He was just getting eager to find out if they could admit to the truth. This confrontation was _going_ to happen, whether they wanted it to or not.

* * *

PJ's personality inherited from his birth father truly shines through in this and upcoming chapters (especially that next chapter). Hard nosed, in command, no-nonesense and will get the job done. Let's see. What did everyone think of the events in this chapter?


	11. Bring the Twins Home

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 11 (Bring the Twins Home)

Gabe stood outside of Mrs. Dabney's car, staring at the beautiful home that he was at just the day before. He'd made his final decision to go to them, and he would absolutely submit a DNA test if he had to. Even though he had a twin, it would likely be necessary for a police investigation. There was just the slight problem that he had with needles.

He turned around and put his hands on the open window of Mrs. Dabney's car, looking at her with tears in his eyes. "You're going to be okay, Mrs. Dabney?" The woman smiled at him and nodded. He knew she was going to try and go to the police, they would probably put her in a safe house for witnesses, since she would tell them about that terrifying feeling that she had. Unfortunately, there was a very good chance she'd go down as an accessory or something, for knowing about the crime, and not telling anyone.

"I'll be just fine. Don't you worry about an old washed up woman like me. You have a family that's been waiting for twelve, almost thirteen years to bring you home from that hospital." He felt his heart rising inside and quickly hugged her neck.

"Thank you for everything, Mrs. Dabney. I know I've been hell for you, but I'm going to miss you."

"I know you are, I'll miss you too. Just remember, don't look back, look ahead." He firmly nodded and turned away from her, a symbol that he was ready to move forward. Maybe his real family could help piece together the part of his soul that he lost. "You have a lot of lost time to make up for. Goodbye Gabriel."

"Goodbye Estelle." Mrs. Dabney chuckled and waited for him to start walking. When he made it to the front porch, he wanted so hard to look back. It was tempting as hell to try and look behind, but he didn't. She'd already driven off, anyway.

With tears in his eyes, he knocked on the door. As it opened, his heart screamed for joy, his birth mother was gazing into his eyes with a full smile. He closed his eyes and slowly inhaled. "I'm Gabriel, I'm your son." She swept him into her arms, crying and calling out for her husband.

"What's all the commotion?" Gabe felt an excited pulse through his body as Michael's deep voice ran through him. Tears came to his eyes and he quickly glanced over to see his father walking into the room, so strong, so poised. Michael's lips parted and total shock started to turn into joy. "Daniel?" He slowly walked over and put his hand to Gabe's shoulder, as though trying to feel if he were real. "You are alive…we never stopped searching, never stopped believing…" The man's voice cracked and he hugged his wife and son. Only, there was someone missing. Where was his sister?

"Denise? Where is she?"

"She told me she was with Amber," Nicole replied with concern in her voice. "I wasn't sure if that was right or not…" Michael frowned and rubbed his chin while Gabe began to pace the floor. He still had a feeling that something was not right.

Michael was in a white t-shirt and shorts that ran two inches past his legs, so he wasn't dressed or on the job. He eyed his uniform, draped over the couch. "I got a call from the Dooley family, Debbie says Teddy Duncan was visiting her. There is just something not right about the Duncan family…since Dooley said Teddy was in turmoil about Bob and Amy." Gabe felt his fear shooting up, had Bob and Amy realized what was going on? "Now I didn't tell you this because I didn't want to worry you, and Bob told me otherwise, but I _thought_ I saw Denise's phone on the end table. Bob said it was Gabe's."

"What?" Gabe frowned and pulled his cell out, it was a black Nokia phone with a camera at the top.

"Did it look like this?" He asked, holding it up. Michael examined it and turned it over on the back, then frowned.

"It's the same type of phone, same color, only yours doesn't have the picture of our old family dog on the back. Denise pasted it there." Now he was terrified, for Denise, and he felt that powerful sense of danger. Could she be in trouble? Was she in some sort of danger? He _just_ found his home, and now she was the one missing. Though, recalling the confused words Teddy spoke to him earlier, he started to realize just what might have happened.

_Denise infiltrated the Duncan's home!_

He was both proud, astonished, and terrified. He moved his eyes to Michael and breathed in deep, he _had_ to tell him. Everything he knew. "Dad…you may want to call Mr. Dooley…and the police. I have something to tell you about the Duncan's."

PJ waited patiently for his parents to enter the house while Denise gazed at the door, shoving her phone into her pocket. She had told him about the tape recorder and was going to give it to her father, it might prompt an investigation, or help somewhat, even if they couldn't use it in court.

They were sweating, their clothes were a mess, and for some reason, they were holding a second set of their own clothing. The crumpled cloth had a few dark stains all along it. "PJ! I thought you were still at the library?" Bob asked in a huff. PJ narrowed his eyes and shifted them towards his 'father'. "Okay, PJ, Gabe, we need to go. _Now_. We'll find your sister, and then we're leaving."

"Where are we going, Dad?" He swallowed his bile, resisting the urge to vomit and punch this man out at the same time. His muscles tensed as he thought about Teddy, still out there, scared and possibly alone. He could hardly think about her in such a stressful time.

"I can't say, but it'll be a while before we come back home."

"That's unacceptable. Sit down."

"Excuse me?" A hardness, rising up from somewhere he didn't know, began throwing him about. He found a strength to command, a strength to stare down terror, and he truly knew he didn't get that from such a coward like Bob.

"I said sit down. I have a couple questions for you."

"We don't have time for-"

"Sit down!" PJ rose and pointed to the recliner. He wasn't shouting in rage, he was _demanding_ that Bob do as he said. All his anger was centralized, controlled, and Bob knew it. Instantly, Bob took a seat in the recliner and Amy moved behind him, putting her hand to his shoulder. "Is it true?"

"Is what true, Son?"

"First question." _Let's see how honest they can be. Or for that matter, how dishonest. _"Is Gabe adopted?"

"We've been through this." Bob stretched his arms out, tossing the clothes on the floor beside him and next to Charlie. The man was too impatient. "No!" PJ pressed his lips together as Denise rolled her eyes.

"Second question. Am _I_ adopted?"

"Where the _fuck_ would you get that idea from?" He raised an eyebrow and saw Charlie cover her mouth. His muscles tightened and his fists clenched in a rage. "What's next? You're going to go on screaming about how you were 'abducted'?"

"I want the _truth!_ I know I was abducted, all of us-" He thought he heard Charlie say something about blood, but the parents didn't seem to hear. Amy had her hand to her chest and was watching him with fear spread across her face while Bob was staring at him, breathing heavily, fist clenched on the armrest. _Blood?_ _They better not have hurt Teddy_. "Me, Teddy, Gabe…I want the truth, Robert Duncan!"

"He knows, because he not only researched it," Denise started as she slowly gripped her hat, "But I told him." The parents stared at her with shock as she removed her hat and let her hair fall out. "Denise Brown, I found out you took my brother, and I wanted answers. I got those answers."

"B-B-Brown?" Bob stuttered and began twitching. "Amy, get to the car. Now." Amy nodded and pulled Charlie out with her. "Okay PJ, you want the truth? I'll give you the _truth_. Yes you were abducted. You, Teddy, and Gabe. _All_ _taken_. Are you happy?" Bob rose from his chair and spread his arms out, chuckling softly. PJ felt Denise grab his arm fearfully and clenched his fists. "I took Gabe when he was born, as a 'fuck you' to his father for firing my ass. That, and Amy wanted a child. Same basic case for you and your sister, who as of this moment, has totally vanished off the radar."

"Okay…" His rage was running on full now, and all rational thought gone, save the final bit that was keeping him from tearing this man's head from his shoulders.

"Now _that_ pipsqueak thinks she's going to come in here and ruin it all!" Bob pointed to Denise. PJ clenched his fist as he stared down the eyes of the bull. He wasn't going to let Bob do a thing to him, to Denise, or to anyone else. "Pesky little brat!" Bob lunged for her. She screamed and PJ's adrenaline sprang to action. He dealt a swift blow to Bob's jaw, splitting his lip and throwing the man to the ground. As the phrase goes to say, the bigger they are, the harder they fall.

"Run Denise! Get to my car!" Denise nodded and hurried for the door. PJ took a glance at Bob, who was holding his face and cursing, then ran after her. Once outside, he saw Amy parked by the curb, facing off to the north. He led Denise to his own car, watching Amy carefully. She was frantically looking back and forth between him and the car. Once inside, he started up the vehicle and pulled out of the drive, facing his car to the south. There was no way he was going north, not giving Amy and Bob that chance to follow after him.

His back end was parallel with Amy's. He backed a bit further, blocking her car door so she couldn't get out and try to grab him. He saw her freaking out in his side mirror and felt a wave of sadness and hatred at the same time. This was the woman he thought was his mother, the woman who 'gave him everything', and now she was a total stranger to him.

"Um? Hello?" Denise's voice pulled him from his thoughts and he quickly snapped his head to her. She was waving frantically at the road. "What are you waiting for? Step on it! I'd kind of like to leave!"

He heard Bob's angry voice bellowing from the house and looked over to see the man huffing in the doorway. "Right." He shifted his eyes to Charlie, who was in the baby seat of Amy's car. He felt a sting of guilt as the girl waved and gave him the last 'bye-bye' he would hear from her for a while. He didn't have time to retrieve her, and certainly, he _couldn't_. She was their true child, if he took her from them, it would _still_ be abduction. "Forgive me Charlie…we'll see each other again soon, I promise. Good luck, Charlie."

He slammed down the gas pedal and sped off into the distance, watching the rearview mirror as Bob rushed for the family car, ordering Amy to get into the passenger side.

"Don't look back, PJ! Please, look _forward!_" He nodded and turned the corner, knowing full well that he'd be gone by the time Bob and Amy started driving. "What do you think is going to happen?" He flicked his eyes towards a stoplight and groaned, it was a hot yellow light. He ignored it and sped through right as it changed to red, he wasn't planning on slowing down, not now. It was a good thing too, because when he slipped through, he saw Bob and Amy turning onto that street.

"How in the hell did they get there so fast?" He recalled there had been a shortcut, a small alley that emptied out right next to the Duncan house. It could shave off minutes of a drive. "Shit. Buckle up, Denise…"

"Oh you're kidding me!" She looked back and screamed as Bob and Amy started speeding towards them. "Quick, my house isn't far from here!"

Up ahead, PJ saw another stoplight about to turn red. Fate didn't seem to be shining on him right now. His emotional mood was killing him, the adrenaline wasn't helping all that much either. Though when Denise told him the address, it seemed to shift fate into his path, as he knew _exactly_ where that address was, and he knew a shortcut too. If he took a right on this light, he would shave off even more time and be there in no time, as there was another alley that led right out to that street!

"Great! I've delivered chicken to that street _many, many_ _times_. In fact, Kwikki Chikki is right on this next street here. I drive straight through this light all the time!"

"Great! Then take it!" Bob and Amy were closing in on them. Where before they had three cars in between them, they now had _one_ car between them. The car in between them was turning right as well, so Bob and Amy would be forced to stop, or go around. If they went around, it would be bad, as PJ spotted a cop car waiting for _his_ light to turn green.

He sped up a bit and spun to the right, catching the cop's attention. _Perfect_. The cop flipped on his sirens and followed. His hands gripped the wheel firmly and he started to slow down, but he wasn't going to stop. No, he was going to signal the cop all the way to Denise's home. "Don't worry, we'll get you home safe."

"What are you doing?"

"Bob and Amy are scared to death of cops. There's no way they're following us now." He checked his rearview mirror and smirked as he watched Bob's car drive _past_ the light. When he realized the inevitable, his heart sank. "They're on the run, aren't they?"

"Um. Yes."

"Crap…" He signaled the cop behind him and turned into the alley. The cop followed, and possibly sensed something was amiss, he flipped off the sirens and kept following. PJ exited out from the alley and drove left onto the street Denise said. "Which house?"

"Third house on your left."

"Okay." He breathed out and stopped in front of the home. The cop stopped behind him and parked the car. He and Denise exited and looked to the cop, who was staring at them from the outside of his own car.

"Why are you exiting?" The officer asked.

"This is my house," Denise said with a quick voice. The officer recognized her and waved, calling her by name. "We were rushing here, getting away from bad people."

"What?" Just as she said that, PJ noticed Captain Mike Brown walking outside with Nicole and Gabe. The Captain was now in full uniform. He cleared his throat, smiling with relief that Gabe was safe with them.

"Bob and Amy Duncan," PJ said abruptly. "They're driving a black, 2009 Ford Taurus. Four door, license plate number…1XD3K. I was speeding and ran the light to catch your attention. Plus, I had to get Denise here to safety, they were chasing us…"

Denise looked to her father with a nervous smile as Nicole quickly ran to her, hugging her for dear life. "I'm sorry I lied Mom, Dad, I had to. I went into the lion's den."

"You did something so dangerous?" Michael scolded. "What would you have done if they found out!"

"Well they kind of did…"

"Denise! How many times have I told you _not_ to do these types of things?" PJ couldn't help but notice a sense of pride on the man's face when his daughter pulled out the tape recorder. Denise had tears in her eyes as she handed it to her father.

"This has everything you need. I know it won't stand in court, but at least, you can start an investigation. PJ, Teddy…they all know. I don't know where Teddy is, and PJ's planning a flight to New York where his girlfriend is." Denise turned to Gabe and took a slow step towards him. "Brother…"

Gabe was speechless, finally reacting and getting away from the shock of seeing her for the first time. "Denise." He smiled and lifted his hand up, connecting it with hers, gauging whether it was real most likely. After a second, the two shared a breathless hug, both now crying.

PJ was tearing up himself. He'd now given the officer everything he needed to chase after the Duncan's car. Of course, he would have to radio other patrol units, but he had a feeling the couple would get away and a massive manhunt would begin. Though, the emotional reunion of the twins seemed to overshadow the fear of Bob and Amy. He hoped to never see those two again.

Remembering Teddy, he bowed his head and slowly breathed out as the officer drove off, not assigning him a ticket. "I can't find Teddy…can't locate her at all…" Michael and the others looked at him and Gabe bowed his head. "I think she'll go to her boyfriend, so I told him to put her on a plane to New York and to contact me. It's the only way."

"Right." Michael responded. "You may be able to do that, since you're eighteen, but I'm not sure that your sister will be able to. She probably will, since Gabe says she's turning seventeen soon, but for the record…we may need her for a statement."

"If you need me for anything, call me. Right now…I just need some air and time to think…"

"I understand. Take that time, and PJ?" He looked up, feeling Michael's firm hand on his shoulder. Michael's smile comforted him. A tear was slipping from behind the man's shades, and Nicole was behind her two children, embracing them and sobbing frantically. "Thank you for bringing Denise home. I…" He glanced at his two children and lowered his arm to his side. "I couldn't be happier to see the two of them. It's as though a part of world's come back to life…"

Denise lifted her head up, still embracing her brother. "Does this mean I'm not grounded?" Michael wiped his eyes and chuckled once.

"We will talk about that _later,_ Denise."

PJ walked up to Gabe and put a hand to his shoulder. Gabe looked up at him, tears fresh in his own eyes. "Hey Gabe, I'm glad you're with your real family now."

"PJ…where are you going to go?"

"Skyler. Her parents are willing to take me in for me to get on my feet. She's talking to her uncle about possibly getting me a job up there. Stay safe, little man."

"You too…" Gabe hugged his waist and PJ felt a sadness that he wanted to wipe away. However, he couldn't erase that void. His real mother was dead, and he still had absolutely no idea who his birth father was. He didn't even know where to begin, so the best he wanted to do, best he could do, was go to New York and be with his girlfriend. He would wait for Teddy to get there before he did anything else, of course. That was assuming she were even his real sister, he didn't know anymore. "Am I going to see you again?"

"I'm sure you will, Gabe. I have to go…plane leaves in less than an hour."

"Goodbye PJ…" Gabe stepped back, wiping a tear from his eyes. "You know what? I _will_ miss you. I can't wait to tell Jo, though…so it looks like we'll both be with our girlfriends?"

"Yeah. Yeah that's right." He chuckled and smiled at Gabe, tears finally ran along his own face. It was time to go, this emotional goodbye had to be cut short. "I'll miss you too, buddy." As he made his way into the car and started it up, he saw Michael's face don with realization, as if there were something he forgot to mention. When he began driving, he thought he heard Michael call out for him, but he didn't hear well enough, and kept moving.

An hour later, he was on the plane, flying high over Colorado. His heart mourned as the news and shock finally hit him. He buried his head in his hands and let out a mournful groan. This was all too much for him.

He received a text from Gabe saying Teddy had been at the Dooley's, and that was the information his father had forgotten in the emotional reunion. PJ now had no other choice but to wait for her to either make her way to New York, or not. She still hadn't called him. In other news, Skyler told him his uncle secured him a job, which he would begin on Tuesday. Though it was a bit terrifying for him, as it was a job as an apprentice to the man in the construction field, the same man with the seemingly harsh boss that was so often hard to impress. This was not going to be easy.

On a lighter note, aside from the stress, the anger, the sorrow, there was the joy that he was able to see Gabe reunited with his sister. With his family. There was no greater joy than being with family, _real_ family.

* * *

A bit of the toughness from his birth father seemed to shine through here. Well, what did you guys think of everything?


	12. Family Reunion

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 12 (Family Reunion)

"I can't believe how much life I missed," Gabe said as he sat on the couch with both his mother and sister cuddled up next to him. His dad wasn't able to be on the couch, but was in the recliner, smiling at the family as they went through the large photo album. Gabe was well aware he couldn't just simply jump into a new life. He prompted an investigation all his own. Or at least, he, Teddy, and PJ prompted it in a mutual effect. Now, however, he would likely need a therapist and there would likely be a whole bunch of drama before he could truly settle in.

"I can't believe the deranged madman took you away from us because I fired him," Michael muttered. Gabe looked up at him, upset as well that Bob could have done something like that. Then again, he didn't really want to think about it. He could see his dad would like to tear Bob's head from his shoulders, or something worse, but thankfully the man wasn't going to do something so bad that would put _him_ in prison. "I just hope they catch him. Soon."

"I'm sure they will." He'd been wondering if there was anything wrong with calling these people his mom and dad, because that was what they were. More so than Bob or Amy were. Now, as far as he was concerned, Amy was just a nurse at the hospital that took him away. Though he only knew these people for a couple short hours, they already felt like family. Hell, they even had a family _dog_, that was lying asleep in the sunlight coming through the window. A small Jack Russell Terrier named Amato. "Is it all right, if I call you Dad? Mom and Dad…my _real_ mom and dad?" In truth, he just wanted to call the man his dad and see how it felt, and in all honesty it didn't seem like it would leave a bad taste in his mouth. The two gasped and immediately smiled at him.

"Of course!" Nicole cheered, hugging him tight. He beamed and looked to the coffee table in front of him, his mom had made a tray of brownies. The tray was half eaten, but he still wanted more. The dog perked up from the light and hurried over to the couch, putting his paws up onto Gabe's legs and began barking, wagging his tail with delight. "Aw, Amato's come to say hi too."

"Hey there." Gabe reached down and began to pet the puppy. He was surprised by a slimy wet tongue gliding across his skin. He laughed as the dog jumped up into his lap and continued the licking. "Okay! Okay!"

"Okay, hold that pose!" Michael exclaimed as he grabbed his camera from the nearby end table. They had already taken a couple photos, still trying to come down from their emotional high. Gabe laughed as Denise started petting the dog, who then began alternating between the both of them with his constant licking. Nicole gazed at them with a tearful and motherly smile. Michael put the camera on timed, set it down carefully, and ran behind the couch, moving his arms around the entire family.

With that, the dog stopped and reached up to lick his chin. Gabe and Denise were still laughing, and Nicole couldn't seem to stop smiling at them. It was literally a picture perfect moment. The camera flashed in an instant, and the parents squeezed their children and dog.

The family reunion was cut short by the doorbell. Gabe knew Jo was on her way over, but when he looked at the door, he could have sworn he saw three or four figures outside. This included a smaller figure that would pass for his girlfriend. Michael sighed and started walking over. "I'll get it." When he opened the door, Jo bounced once in front of her father, waving.

Next to the two of them was a taller, thin man with grey patches of hair around his ears and going behind his head. He had a straight face and wore narrow, wire-framed glasses. He looked to be about fifty years old. Beside him was a man that was a bit younger, had a full head of brown hair, and sported a clean suit and tie. These men were the Police Chief, and Deputy Doug Dooley.

"They're here on business," Jo said while jerking a thumb towards them. "I'm here for pleasure." She scurried inside and threw her arms around Gabe's neck. "I'm so happy for you! You get to be happy now." He hugged her back and breathed in, thrilled that she was here for him.

"I have my family now, what more could a guy want?" The older men walked inside, smiling at him. "Although, Denise could have gotten seriously hurt." He shot a look at Denise, who held a thick smirk. She was still in trouble with their parents, but for the most part, they were glad she was safe now. "PJ's on a plane to New York, Jo. I'm here, and Teddy's with Mrs. Dooley…Bob and Amy, I think they're on the run, but they should be caught soon."

"I hope so! They're evil, and they need to be stopped. If I could get my hands on them…" Jo stepped back and performed a swift high kick into the air. "Boom! It would be _lights out_ for what they did to you, Teddy, and PJ…and your families!" He smiled at her and Denise grinned.

"I like your girlfriend already!" Denise enthused. Gabe smiled slightly and sat back down beside his mother. Amato put his paws up onto his leg and closed his eyes. Jo sat beside Denise and exhaled. It was beginning to grow quiet now, but he was okay with that. It had already hit him once before, the changes that were being made. One was not to look at this reunion as strictly happy and one sided, there was a whole different side to it, the sadder one that determined the realization that he may truly never see PJ or Teddy again. The realization that Bob and Amy were not his real parents and he would likely only see them again when they were arrested and he had to go before a jury and say his story.

_How can anyone enjoy memories when the very base behind each of those memories was a lie?_

Nothing before today, nothing before this moment was, or had ever, truly felt real. There was a feeling inside of him, a space, that made him feel greater than he'd ever felt with Bob and Amy. "You know, I'm happy but at the same time, I don't know how to feel. I mean, everything I ever knew just got shoved down the drain, but yet…I got back everything I could have asked for."

He was comforted by his mother hugging him close. "One step at a time, Gabe. It'll all be okay. We don't want to do anything to overwhelm you. I should warn you though, we do have a big family." He lifted his shoulders and smiled, he actually would enjoy meeting all of the relatives.

"How big?"

"Well, your father has two brothers, he's the middle child. His older brother has one daughter, twenty two years…His younger brother has two sons, one is fifteen now, the other is going to be twelve this year. I have an older brother with one daughter who will be turning fourteen soon. You have four living grandparents-" at least one more than he had with the other family, he had to admit this was very satisfying. "-and one living great grandmother."

"Wow. When's the family reunion?" He was joking, but at the same time, deadly serious. He smiled at her and breathed out. "I want to meet them all."

"You'll love them," Denise chimed. "They're awesome. They all love playing video games, but they also enjoy playing outside. Great Grandma Alice, otherwise known as Gran-Gran, is turning ninety-three on the 21st! She's Mom's grandma. We're all going to go visit. She lives on a house in a gated community, which is awesome, because she doesn't have to live in a nursing home yet." He was amazed and excited, maybe they could convince his dad's side of the family to come too.

"Do you think we could talk Dad's family into coming too? I'd love to meet them all. Even if it's all at once." He didn't think it would be too overwhelming for him, but he wasn't sure. On one end of the spectrum, he wanted to relax, but on the other end of the spectrum, he wanted to just jump right in.

The Chief and Deputy walked over with Michael. "It might be good for you and the family," Doug stated simply. He looked to Michael and sighed. "Mike, as your close friend, Bruce and I have decided it's best that you didn't pursue this investigation." Gabe looked up at these words and frowned, why pull his dad from the case?

"Why? He might do the case some good." Doug glanced over his shoulder and smiled halfheartedly.

"I agree, but there's a conflict of personality here. You're his son, the suspects we're pursuing took you from him." Michael put his hand to Doug's shoulder and smiled as he passed him by.

"I got this, Doug, and I understand." Gabe frowned as Michael knelt in front of him. "Gabe, it's actually law that when there's a personal conflict, an investigator needs to be pulled from the case. In this situation, whether or not my anger towards Bob can be contained…I have had a history with him, he's suspected in a few attempts at my life, from what we understand, and to top it off, he kidnapped you as a baby, most likely in response to my firing him from the police force.

"I got it Dad. I guess it means more time to spend with my real father."

"That's right." Michael smiled and rubbed his son's head. "That's right. You and I can throw that ball around, go for a hike, do anything you like." He stood and glanced back at Doug. "You'll still keep me informed, won't you?"

"Oh yes," Doug replied. "There's no doubt about it. And that leads us to the next reason we were brought here." Michael nodded as Doug exhaled. "Bruce and I are still on the clock obviously, Teddy Duncan's being brought into the station for her statement. It'll be a while before we get to do that, since she is only wanting to discuss this situation with me, for some reason. So she'll have to wait in my office, the reason, we'll get to in a minute. We know Gabe is your son, but in order to make it official legally and for the investigation, we'll need a DNA sample."

"I'll do it!" Gabe said with immediate enthusiasm. "I'll even give my statement whenever I can!" Doug smiled at him and gave a quick nod.

"Good, that'll help us out a lot." He folded his arms over and looked back to Michael. "I would like for you and your family to take a paid vacation as well. With Duncan out there, he's tried to take you out before, I don't want you or your family thrown into danger. So I urge you, take your entire family, since they're all around this area…and _leave_. Can you do that?"

"If it's to protect my family, then yes."

"Good. You will still get your salary, of course." Gabe scrunched his face and glanced at the window. He was pleased, a family vacation already. "Now my next thing, Mike. I think it pertains to this investigation…we've discovered a couple bodies, and a bloody shirt at the Duncan home that we believe to belong to Mr. Duncan…" Gabe's eyes widened and his hand flew up to his mouth. Bodies were found? A bloody shirt? Did Bob actually, seriously _kill_ someone? "So it's become a possible homicide-abduction investigation. Pertaining to your son's safe arrival, among everything else, I'd like to bring you and your family into the station for some questioning. Or, we can do it right here."

Gabe rose from the couch and walked over. "If we go in, can I talk to Teddy?"

"If you would like."

"Okay...Dad, maybe we can all go in?" Michael looked to the rest of the family for their decisions. They agreed to it and he agreed to Doug's terms.

"All right, we'll answer questions there, then. I know a patrol unit was sent after them. PJ and Denise were running from them and managed to grab the attention of a squad car. I take it they weren't caught?"

"No they were not," Doug frowned, "Patrol units found the car matching PJ's description, abandoned at a nearby gas station. Any and all identifiers had been taken, but the license plate confirmed the car is registered to Bob Duncan."

"I see…well definitely don't waste time finding him."

"We won't. Not anymore, we're considering him a dangerous man still at large, and a risk to anyone that comes in contact with him."

* * *

So Gabe's slowly starting to settle in, perhaps he'll have an easier time doing so than PJ or Teddy, but at least he's settling in with his family. Very nice. Looks like Deputy Dooley's manning the investigation, but Mike being his best friend, I'm sure he'll cut Michael in on some of the proceedings.


	13. The Crime

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 13 (The Crime)

Teddy curled her knees in towards her chest and brushed her hair back, she moved to the long bench in the hallway outside. The police station was huge, it was a pity she had to wait for Mr. Dooley, but she understood. She'd met a few officers who were nice and gave her some water and snacks that helped her stomach. She was still terrified of Bob and Amy, but didn't know anything about what was going on. How could she? She was unable to contact either her boyfriend or her best friend. Most of all, though, she wanted to contact her brother. He didn't know where she was, so how could she call him? In this day's drama, she had almost completely forgotten his number.

She heard people talking in the next room and looked up to see some officers walking from the room and through the hallway, they seemed to be discussing the case. "I can't think of anything worse," the male officer spoke to the older male officer and the female officer next to him. "Three missing children, and a possible connected homicide. A couple on the run after all these years…"

"The children are safe, aren't they? One's made it to his real parents and the other's on a plane, then we have the third?" The men nodded to the woman. Teddy breathed in slowly and felt her heart jump in her chest, the others were okay? Obviously Gabe was the one who would have found his parents, at least she hoped so, so did that mean PJ was the one on the plane? She had to find a way to call him, but she was too nervous, too afraid to talk to anyone. It wasn't so much a matter of trust as it was insecurity and her frayed senses of danger.

Did they also say something about the couple being on the run? Did that mean what she thought? Bob and Amy were gone? Her heart cracked upon the thought that they could come after her, or after Spencer even. Would they? They wouldn't, they couldn't, at least she didn't think so. At least, if the police were talking about it, someone finally jumpstarted the investigation. She was thinking she'd have to wait until she saw Doug to do that.

Her relief was cut short when she saw her best friend being carted into the room by a police officer, who was guiding her slowly to the bench. "Just sit here and we'll have some water for you soon," The officer said with a frown. "We'll need to ask you a couple questions in a bit…"

"O-Okay," Ivy replied with a soft, timid voice. Teddy's heart dropped and a cold spell shook her body. Ivy was trembling and splashed with some strange substance. As the officer sat Ivy next to her, she caught a whiff of blood. Her eyes widened as Ivy slowly turned her head towards her. "T-Teddy? Oh god! Teddy…" Ivy immediately hugged her and began to sob. What happened to her? Last she recalled, Ivy and her family were with Bob and Amy looking for her. Her heartbeat stopped and her nerves flared up. "We should have listened to you, but we didn't think it was possible…that they could be so…"

"Ivy? What happened? Where's Mr. and Mrs. Wentz?" Ivy's sobs grew more severe, confirming Teddy's worst fears. Had Bob and Amy done something to them? Had they taken away Ivy's parents too? "Ivy, I'm right here, talk to me…" Did she resent her? She shouldn't have gone to Ivy, she shouldn't have told them to begin with, and now she most definitely wasn't risking Spencer's life. "You…you don't hate me, I hope…that's not my concern right now, I just-"

"No, it's not your fault. We should have listened in the first place. Mom should never have told them what you said, she should never have asked them about it. I knew something was off when they started demanding to know where you were…Bob was going ballistic and wouldn't even listen to Amy, he ordered us all in the car to help look for you, but…"

Ivy froze and closed her hand above her chest, whimpering. Her eyes clenched shut and she began shaking her head. "Ivy? Ivy?" She reached up and put her hand to Ivy's shoulder. "Ivy it's okay, talk to me. Tell me what…what happened…"

"If Mom…" Ivy slowly opened her eyes and stared in silence at the wall ahead of her. "They took us to this quiet deserted area hidden away in the woods, not too far from the roads, but covered with trees. Mom…mom…she _crawled_ to the road with one arm…if she hadn't, we would never have been found…I don't know where she found the strength, but she saved me…"

As Ivy went on, Teddy listened with a heavy heart to her story, filling herself with fears and thoughts of dread. Guilt also seemed to strike her like fire, Ivy might not resent or hate her, but she still felt like a curse to all her friends now. Or at least, anyone she went to would be in danger. That was the reason she didn't want to talk to anyone but Deputy Dooley. He could handle things. He was a professional. She breathed in and wiped her tears as she visualized Ivy's tale.

_"Where are we going?" Mr. Wentz asked as Bob furiously drove along the street. Ivy was wedged between her parents in the back, her mom looked positively terrified. They were no longer anywhere near where Teddy might have run off to, nowhere near where Spencer would be either. Teddy wouldn't tell her where she was, so she couldn't tell Bob and Amy. Amy looked from Bob, back to her, mildly frightened at her husband's anger._

_ "Don't mind him sweetie. He gets like this when things aren't going…well. At least PJ's at the library, right Bob?"_

_ "Right." Bob moved his head towards her, his voice was gruff and deep. "We still need to find Teddy and Gabe." Ivy was seeing what looked like a totally different brain inside this man's body, or maybe she wasn't. He could still be an idiot, but at the same time, he seemed more like a lunatic driven insane by his own anger and possible paranoia. "All right, we're here." _

_ Ivy glanced out the window and frowned. "Where is 'here', exactly?" There was nothing but a long dirt road with some thick amount of woods nearby. The pounding in her chest started accelerating as Bob forced her and her family out into these woods. She wanted to run, but at the same time, she wanted to be with her family. _

_ "Bob, what are we doing?" Amy asked in a hushed voice. Bob rubbed his head and started muttering as he paced back and forth. Ivy felt her mom's grip on her arm tighten as her father looked over his family. Bob cleared his throat and started reaching into his pocket._

_ "Look, I don't want to have to do this to you guys, I really don't." He started to chuckle and tug at his collar. Ivy took a step back as her parents stepped in front of her, apparently they too felt the pull of danger. "You know too much. Yeah."_

_ "You mean Teddy's not really your daughter?" Mary-Lou asked. "What she was saying was…true?" Ivy shut her eyes and groaned. How stupid could she be? She knew her best friend better than anyone else, and she flat out didn't hear what she was saying! "Who _are_ you people?"_

_ "Bob," Amy warned, "What are you…"_

_ "I don't want to get caught, Amy!" Bob pulled a small snub-nose gun from his pocket. The Wentz's gasped and Ivy's eyes grew large. Amy put her hands over her mouth and stepped back, shaking her head. "You know that! It's not worth it to get caught." Bob turned his glare upon the family and growled deeply. "We stole them. All of them. Charlie's our own flesh and blood, though, but the other three aren't. It was convenient that Amy worked at the hospital where the people we didn't like were…it was the only way to rattle their cages, to shake them up, to destroy them."_

_ "So you've kept this from the three kids for all these years?" Mr. Wentz asked with a low voice. "What kind of man _are_ you?"_

_ "One that you probably shouldn't piss off. I'm sorry, it _has_ to be like this." _

_ "Bob, we said we wouldn't murder!" Amy exclaimed. "No murder. Taking the babies was okay, hurting Jazzy for revenge was okay, but as long as no one was murdered." _

_ "We don't have a choice now Amy, do you want to go to prison? Do you want to lose Charlie? Do you want to lose your babies?"_

_ "I…"_

_ "This is the _only_ way to secure and keep our family safe! We have to do what has to be done to protect our family!" Ivy started to whimper as her dad bravely stepped forward. _

_ "Then I'll do what I have to do to protect mine. Mary-Lou, Ivy, run!" Ivy gasped and called out to her father as he ran for Bob, but like a paranoid madman, Bob fired off a gunshot in a mixture of rage and fear. Amy screamed and Mary-Lou cried out as her husband crumpled to the ground. _

_ "Dad!" Ivy yelled. Numbness struck her as she saw the blood seeping from her father's head, she didn't want to believe this was happening. "No! Dad, get up!" She felt Mary-Lou pushing her and started running, looking back at her father's body. Bob yelled for them and fired off several gunshots. She whimpered as pain fired through her right leg. She began to fall backwards on the ground, watching as her mother's body fell on top of her. "Mo-" Her mother's bloodied hand flew to her mouth and her eyes rolled back to her head._

_ "I-Ivy-" Mary-Lou whispered. "I've been shot…my left arm, my back, I'm…you need to stay quiet dear, act dead. They'll go away if they think you're dead. I won't let them hurt you…" Ivy's heart slammed to her chest, she wanted to scream, but she could only cry. Her mother was dying, her father was gone. She could only do what her mother had told her to, she had to trust her._

_ "B-Bob what have you done?" Amy asked as she and Bob walked towards the body. Bob was huffing and trembling, he surely hadn't seriously killed someone before. "Why? Why would you do that to them?"_

_ "They would have told, Amy. We would have lost our kids." Ivy slowly opened one eye and looked to her father's body, they had moved him farther into the woods. Would they try to move her and her mother? "Let's leave them where they are, I probably can't lift them…I imagine you won't help me there…"_

_ "No Bob, I don't want this. I can't believe you've turned to this, it's like you've gone mad!"_

_ "It's going to be okay Amy, we just need to find Teddy. First, let's make sure PJ's still at the library. He's going to need to stay for a while, long enough for us to get cleaned up. We can be long gone before anyone finds the bodies…"_

_ "Oh god, Bob…"_

_ "Just relax Ames, everything will work out. You'll see." _

_ Ivy waited until she heard the car drive off. She was paralyzed with fear and could hardly breathe with her mother on top of her. "Ivy?" Her mom's voice rang into her ears and fresh tears spread from her eyes. She was still praying for all this to be a dream. "Ivy, I'm going to try and make it to the road…so someone will see us…can you move?"_

_ "I'm afraid to…"_

_ "It's okay, I'll get there then. Just stay here baby. Always remember, Mama loves you honey." _

_ She whimpered as her mom started to pull herself towards the roadway using only one arm. "This is all a dream. It has to be a dream…it can't be real…" In an instant her parents were taken from her, she'd never felt more alone in her life. Blood was gushing from her leg, she'd not even realized she'd been shot. _

_ Her eyes drifted to the sky and birds started their usual springtime chirping. She'd never hear those wondrous birds again, she'd never hear her mother go on and on about how beautiful it was to listen to them, nor would she ever hear her father complaining about her mother's ranting. She had so many memories that she didn't want to lose. Why? Why did this have to happen to her? Why did the Duncan's finally snap? She had her gut instincts, she knew there had been _something_ off about the two, but she never quite knew what. How serious was the gunshot wound? She didn't know._

_ "Oh god if you let me live…I promise to be better. I won't be mad at Teddy, I know she didn't mean this…she tried to warn us, we didn't listen…Mom, Dad, they're…oh god…" She closed her eyes, expecting it to be forever. "I'm sorry…"_

Teddy was shaken internally and visibly, she moved her arm around her friend and hugged her close. Ivy sniffled and slowly shook her head. "I don't know how long I was lying there…bleeding…but someone was driving by and saw mom's body halfway out onto the roadway. They had to stop the car, or else they would run over her. She…forced them to stop…"

"Ivy…"

"She was _still alive_, Teddy. Just long enough to tell them I was alive." Ivy whimpered and hugged her jacket tighter around her body. "The man wrapped his shirt around my leg and the woman he was with stayed with me until the police and ambulance arrived. When they did…they told me Mom was…" She choked on her words and Teddy slowly rubbed her back.

"Your mom made sure you were okay. She hung on…until you were safe." She was having a hard time stomaching everything, Bob really _had_ lost it. "I'm so sorry Ivy, I'm so sorry."

"I was so scared!" Ivy once more fell into her, sobbing frantically. "I don't know what's going to happen to me." After a minute of silent sobbing, Ivy's eyes shot open. "Oh god, tell me you didn't go to Spencer's."

"I didn't. He wouldn't know anything about where I am. I went to the Dooley's." Either way, was Spencer safe? If Bob had totally lost his mind, there was the chance that he wouldn't believe she _wasn't_ with Spencer! She turned her eyes in desperation towards one of the officers walking the floor. "Officer! Please, I need your help!" The woman turned around and hurried over to it.

"What's the problem ma'am?"

"My boyfriend, Spencer Walsh, I need you to send police to his house. He might be in trouble. Bob and Amy Duncan…they might-"

"Teddy?" She heard a familiar voice and looked over to see Spencer and his parents walking into the hall. Ivy gasped and Teddy sighed with relief. "Oh god, you two are safe!" He rushed over to them and hugged them close. "PJ called me, wanted me to be sure you were okay. When I wasn't getting either of you, Dad suggested we try the police, they led us here…what is going on? Why do I feel out of the loop here?"

"Spencer I-wait, you said PJ called you?" Her heart jumped up to her throat, she wanted to cheer. PJ was definitely safe. What of Denise, though? Last she saw Gabe's sister, the girl was still in the Duncan house. Also, what of Charlie? "Did he really get on a plane?"

"He had to, he couldn't reach you at all and had a ticket to New York. The next flight isn't for a few days and he has no money, apparently Skyler's uncle's getting him a job in the construction agency. He wants you to fly to New York as soon as you can."

"I…" She bowed her head and closed her hands. She wanted to, but she didn't know if she should. For one thing, if it was possible to find her birth father, she wanted to do that. He might still be there in Denver, she didn't want to fly all the way to New York only to find he wasn't there. Then there was Spencer, and now Ivy needed her. "I can't. Not right now. There's too much…did he get his things from the house?"

"No, I think that's a crime scene now. When I drove by, police were all over it. I asked about the things in there, PJ said the police are able to take items that families need out of crime scenes, so yeah…"

Another officer poked their head from a questioning room and smiled tenderly. "Miss Wentz? Are you ready to give a statement." Ivy looked up with a gasp and wiped her eyes.

"Yes…" Teddy pat her back for confidence and frowned as Ivy was led into the room. Spencer sat next to her and gazed off in confusion. She was going to hate explaining all of this to him, but she had to do it.

* * *

Emotional chapter, your thoughts?**  
**


	14. Angels to Light the Dark

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

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Chapter 14 (Angels to Light the Dark)

"Teddy!" Teddy glanced up upon hearing Gabe's voice, immediately she was filled with joy amid the sorrow. He was standing beside Denise and before his real parents. She moved from the bench as he rushed up to her and hugged her. "I was worried about you. Is everything okay?" She frowned and shook her head. Spencer had left, after she told him everything, he still left to 'think' about what was going on. Ivy was still talking to the officer, and Mr. Dooley had just come in and walked into the questioning booth where Ivy was.

"No Gabe, everything's not all right. Ivy's parents were murdered…" His jaw dropped. Teddy wasn't thrilled about having blurted it out, but he needed to know. "I think Bob and Amy are still on the run, and PJ's gone to New York. Spencer said he wants me to go, but I can't…not now…I have too much on my plate. I have to be here for Ivy, she needs me right now." Gabe looked over to Denise, who was shaking her head. He took a deep breath and stepped back.

"Maybe, but PJ needs you too, and you're going to need him. There's no other way." She knew this, but she was too scared to leave Colorado. Everything she ever had was _here._ Everything she knew and loved, _here_. "Anyway, we're here to give our statements and stuff to the police, so…after that, we're going to be taking a vacation. Deputy Dooley says it's best for us in the long run." She brushed her hair back and swallowed a sob. It was fully clear what he meant by his words, this was goodbye. Today may be the last time she knew him as his little brother. "If you want to hang out some…we can…"

"It might be best, Gabe, that we didn't…" Her heart broke when she watched his expression sink down. She didn't want to say goodbye, she didn't want to lose him, but at the same time, she didn't know if it was a good idea to hold onto those memories. "I'm sorry, I know…I know there's still that connection, but…" Truthfully she was terrified of not being able to let go. She was terrified to death that if she spent any amount of time with him, she'd never want to leave him behind. Not that she wanted to do that in the first place. "I don't know what's going on in my mind right now, Gabe. I'm just…petrified…" Alone and separated from the one thing that meant anything to her, how was she to carry on? She missed her brother, PJ.

In New York, PJ stepped out of the airport with nothing in hand but the clothes on his back and his wallet in his pocket. Everything he needed at the house would be sent to him by the police, or at least, sent to Skyler's residence. He had plenty of time to cool down and to think things over. With no idea what was going on in Colorado, he could only hope Teddy would find a way to contact him and come to New York.

He smiled as Skyler ran up to him, calling his name. She wrapped her arms around his neck and looked into his eyes. She looked exhausted, her cheeks had small red stains on them, and her eyes had bags beneath them. "PJ, we've been up all this time…" In truth he had been planning this for a couple days, but only because he'd been suspecting his parents of trickery. It was only until he met the two people at the mall that he'd really opened his eyes to it and let himself see everything for what it was worth, confirming his and Gabe's suspicions. "Mom and Dad are waiting in the car with Uncle Douglas and Aunt Janice."

"Okay." Janice was her father, Derek's older sister. She was married to Douglas, who was the one taking him in as an apprentice. "So Douglas's foreman, approved the apprenticeship?" Skyler nodded and hummed to herself.

"Although the man did say he would have to meet all apprentices when they started the job. He wants to be sure they're cut out for it, so be prepared for some kind of boot camp type thing…" He chuckled nervously and felt a pit in his stomach, he wasn't too certain he _wanted_ to deal with that stress. However, he was more than ready. Right now, he had a firm belief that working would be a good way to get away from the drama of Bob and Amy's lies. "It's so good to see you and know you're okay." She tenderly pecked his lips and pulled back in a sigh. "God I was so worried."

"You were that worried?" Then again, she was on ground and he was in air for a while. If anything had happened, she might stand more of a chance of knowing about it than he would. He pulled away from her and put his arm to her waist. As they began walking, she put her head to his shoulder, a comforting gesture. "I guess I didn't realize…you were watching the news. Were they talking about Bob and Amy?" Would it become a high enough profile case that the national news would want to dig into it? It did involve three children that were likely listed under amber alert, it likely involved a murder, if he judged the blood stained clothes that he saw Bob with before, and it involved fugitives on the run.

"Yes, it's been all _over_ the news. We've been driven up the wall with concern! PJ, they _killed_ someone, two parents…their daughter just claimed the bodies…"

"Did the news say anything about who it was?" He really hoped it wasn't anyone they knew, but with Emmett's concern fresh in his mind, he had a deep void that was filling inside of him. Skyler slowly nodded, evidently she'd already cried out all the tears she could.

"Mr. and Mrs. Wentz, Ivy's parents." Even though he suspected as much, her words still drove the spike deeper into his heart. Now he really wished he could have found Teddy. He didn't know why, but he had more concern for her than he did for Gabe. He did contribute it to perhaps being _Gabe_ was with his real family, he could be happy. "Has Teddy contacted you yet? What's her situation like?"

"I don't know…I haven't heard from her, or Spencer." Skyler breathed out and lifted her head towards the sky.

"Spencer's a flake, but I hope he sticks around for Teddy, for her sake." He'd better, because if he didn't, then he was in for a surprise. PJ wasn't willing to let his sister be hurt anymore, he still felt that need and desire to protect his baby sister, to keep her safe. "I don't think he'd be able to handle a long distance relationship if Teddy moves up here, you have to be able to be loyal and trustworthy. My dad says, once a cheater, _always_ a cheater. Those who cheat are fickle at heart and will eventually screw up again and again."

"That sounds fairly narrow of a view."

"Yeah, I guess people can change if they want to, but the want to change has to be there. If it's not, then there won't be a change."

"Well I would never cheat on you, Skyler." She smiled and squeezed her arms around his arm. He kissed the top of her head and smiled as her radiance filled him with joy. In all of this drama, she was just the angel he needed to see. "I love you, Skyler. I'm glad you're here right now."

"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. You need me, so I'm here to stay."

"Good." He also hoped for Gabe's sake, Jo would be that angel for him. Even though Gabe found his family, he would still need her. Having someone who loves you was the best support someone could ask for during tragedy.

Gabe was tackled by Jo as he walked outside of the police station, she had a bright and cheery expression on her face. It was possible from her smiles that she was just trying to ease the pain that he was dealing with, and it was working, because she made him smile as well. "So what's the plan on the family vacation?"

"I'm not sure yet. Dad called everyone in the family with a few suggestions. I guess eveybody's going to take a vote." The choices were the Caribbean, Italy, or a cross-country road trip with the entire family. So far, people were liking the cross country trip. However, Florida and Miami was coming up as a strong suit. "So…" He put his arm around Jo's shoulder and walked with her, his family came out behind him. "Where were you at?"

"Dad had to catch up with mom, and then we got stuck in traffic." He winced. She put her hand onto his loosely hung hand over her left shoulder. "I'm glad we made it here in time, though. Did you talk to Teddy?" His heart sank and he slowly nodded his head. He couldn't believe Teddy didn't want to do anything, but he understood she was dealing with all her fears. "She's pretty upset, huh?"

"Very. Spencer's not even there, I guess the fear of everything was too much for him to process." Although to his defense, Spencer was only just _now_ hearing about everything. Skyler and Jo had known about it for some time. "He is just now hearing about all this, so I guess we shouldn't be surprised."

Jo scoffed and folded her arms over. Her frown lines started to show and she quickly shook her head. "It shouldn't matter, if a tragedy occurred and the love of your life needed you, you would be there whether you heard about it just then or already knew about it."

"True, I'd be there for you if you needed me." He felt good to see her smile, and when her lips turned up for him, it was like the entire world had just begun to sing. Jo reached over her chest and put her hand on his, leaning back and kissing his jaw.

"I'm here for you, no matter what. Dad even said he'd let me go on the family trip with you guys if your parents let me." He grinned and looked over his shoulder at his family, who were chuckling amongst themselves.

"Well it's a thought," Michael responded. Gabe was impressed with how his dad was changing, becoming softer and more father-like. At least, Denise said he wasn't as hard of a man as usual today, so it was a good sign. Maybe the joy of having his kid back was taking away some of that hardness, but what father, or mother, wouldn't go from hard to soft in an instant at having their child back? "We'll talk it over and let you know, still not sure what we're going to do. Someone actually suggested a cruise that sounds pretty good."

Gabe's heart began to swell with pride as they stopped by the family car. "Well wherever it is, I'm sure it's going to be great." As long as it was somewhere Bob and Amy couldn't show up, he'd be fine. After all, those two were literally his worst nightmare now. "I can't wait to meet everybody."

"They can't wait to meet you either."

"You know, since it was for the best…I never thought I'd say this, but…" He looked to his mother while Jo put her head to his shoulder. "I'm _glad_ Amy's love for attention came through during that commercial. If not, that Danny guy would never have switched her out." Fear of attention to criminal activity should never be mixed with love of attention. In an ironic twist of fate, it was that love of attention that caused people to grow suspicious and focus on the bad side of Amy Duncan.

"Well now, she's got attention." Michael was a bit gruff, but at the same time, he swatted at the subject like a fly.

"I agree, it was for the best," Denise chimed. She turned to her mother and grinned. "I'm glad I convinced mom to take me to the amusement park." This was amusing, as he had to convince Bob and Amy to take him there in the first place.

He glanced up to see Emmett's car speeding into the parking lot. Emmett rushed out and spotted Gabe, then spoke in a rapid voice. "Gabe, where's Ivy? I have to be here for her, I just heard the news! I can't believe I couldn't get ahold of her, is she okay?"

"She'll be all right. She's inside with Teddy right now…"

"Thanks." He watched as Emmett broke off towards the station. "I'm coming Ivy!" His gaze turned to Jo, who was over with Denise now, chatting about random things. She looked over at him and grinned. Her smile turned his lips up into a smile, his heart jumped for joy. And how great it was! He had this angel by his side to bring a little extra light into his suddenly dark world. It would light up again, with the light his family was bringing into his life, she added just the extra light he needed to survive. To be happy. He could truly take it one step at a time now.

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	15. Teddy's Statement

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

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Chapter 15 (Teddy's Statement)

Teddy sat before Deputy Dooley, finally he was able to take down her statement. Behind her in two chairs against the wall, Emmett and Ivy were waiting to hear. She was pleasantly surprised to see Emmett here for Ivy, who was holding his hand in her lap as a comforting gesture, and sleeping on his shoulder. Her eyes were puffy and her breaths shallow. The guilt Teddy felt for the Wentz family was still there, so she was just not going to leave Ivy behind, even though she wanted to see PJ.

She watched with an anxious breath as the Deputy wrote on his notepad. After a minute, he looked up at her with a comforting smile. "Teddy, you know that I will be heading the investigation, correct?" She nodded slowly and closed her eyes. She knew because this case was so personal to him now, it was a matter of his best friend had been attacked by this couple, and he wanted to be the one to take them out. "It's not often that I collect statements or do the investigating, since my primary work is the paperwork. You wanted to talk with me, so I'm here to listen. You can tell me anything without fear."

"Okay. I understand." She moved her eyes towards the door beside them and frowned. Before she was called in with him, she saw Mrs. Dabney come in, but the woman didn't stop to say anything. "What will happen to Mrs. Dabney? Do you know?" Mr. Dooley looked to the door with a heavy sigh, then glanced back and shook his head. Immediately she was disheartened.

"She's agreed to give a statement, but she will be questioned. She knew about the abductions, but never came forward for all those years." She wanted to scream, to throw a fit, but she could only sit there, numb. It was obvious what this meant, Mrs. Dabney could be tried as an accessory, and that meant it was very possible for her to get a similar sentence as the couple. "I know this is all very hard for you, so we can take this one step at a time if you'd like. Take as much time as you need." She was happy that he wasn't going to force her to bring it all out in one sitting, but she was thinking of doing so anyway, considering she just wanted to be done with all of this.

"Thanks…do you know if PJ is going to have to come here to give his talk?"

"No, likely the Denver Police will fly to him to collect a statement. Also, as the house is now a crime scene, we'll need you to tell us if there's anything in that house that you need out." There was the possibility of her needing her backpack and school books, but she didn't feel like going to school right now. Not after all this crap. She would definitely need her clothes, but aside from that, there wasn't much in that house that would invoke positive memories. "Both PJ and Gabe have informed us, so we've taken everything of theirs and are sending their items to the proper places."

"Where's my brother's stuff going?"

"I believe he is staying with his girlfriend in New York." Her heart began to rise as a pleasant feeling sank in, she was very happy that Skyler and her family would be taking PJ in. Unfortunately she had no idea where _she_ was going to stay, considering even Ivy was without a place. She couldn't very well stay with Spencer, he wasn't talking to her, but maybe she could talk to Emmett. He was letting Ivy stay with him, after having talked to his parents of course. His parents were both police officers, or well, his mother was an actual police officer. His father was a Parking Enforcement Officer, which meant he placed tickets on illegally parked cars.

"Okay. So…I'm ready to give my statement, and are you going to need me after this?"

"If we do, we'll contact you."

"Right." She took a deep breath and watched with a quivering stare as he moved his pen towards the notepad. "So…I've had these nightmares all my life where I'm sitting alone in the hospital, just a little baby, and two people come and take me away. When we go home, I see my brother, and instantly there's this connection like I recognize him." Mr. Dooley glanced up from his notepad and smiled at her. She leaned back and clenched her eyes shut, the nightmare was flashing through her mind. "I've made it a point to push away bad thoughts. All my life, I pushed things away. When PJ was about ten, he started suspecting things, but he ignored his thoughts, and I denied every bit of suspicion…then this morning…" She let out a choked sob and put her fingers to her left temple. The pressure was building up and it felt like somebody was slamming a baseball bat into her brain.

She felt a hand on her wrist, comforting her, and opened her eyes to see the Deputy giving her a brief nod. "It's okay, you don't have to let it all out right now if it is too much."

"No. I have to." He seemed to understand and went back to the notepad. She was a bit calmer now, but only because he comforted her. "This morning PJ went to the library to do some more investigating, and I made the mistake of inquiring about my birth mom to Amy…"

"How did she react?"

"She just kind of smiled and told me she knew her in school." Though that grin was definitely not one of pleasantries. "I don't think she was happy that I knew the name. She didn't do anything to me then, but I went on and called my grandma. Petunia Blankenhooper, and she told me about this past that Amy had with my birth mom, Jasmine 'Jazzy' Sunice." Mr. Dooley slowly looked up and started to hum, he would likely have to contact the grandparents.

"She has had history with the woman?"

"Yes, Grandma said something about the two used to be friends growing up, but in High School they started fighting. Mom dumped this vat of chocolate and thumbtacks on her during the Prom Queen celebration…later Grandma said the fighting continued well into college and afterwards…so, did my mom lose me because of this?"

"We'll have to contact your grandmother. Do you have her number?"

"Yes…" She gave him the number and leaned back, her chest was aching and her arms felt incredibly sore for some reason. She closed her eyes and breathed out slowly, continuing after a moment. "Then Gabe called me, saying he was over at Mrs. Dabney's…I thought it was strange, because he'd been at the house all this time, but during the conversation, I saw it was just his sister…masquerading as him."

"Yeah, Denise tends to try and solve a lot of cases herself." He chuckled lightly and Teddy started to smile. She was surprised that the man knew Denise. "Cannot tell you how many times Mike and I found her trying to investigate a crime scene, although I can understand her eagerness this time…"

"Yeah…she and Gabe seem really happy now."

"Indeed. Now what happened after you saw her?"

"Well…everything kind of hit me at once. I ran. I think I yelled that Bob and Amy weren't my parents, they chased after me…and when I tried to hide with the Wentz's…" She slowly looked towards Ivy and was stabbed by guilt. "Mary-Lou wanted to call Bob and Amy to figure out what was going on, I panicked and ran away to your wife after that…not realizing that the family was with Bob and Amy." She began to tear up and slowly closed her hands on her legs. "I…is it my fault what happened to them, Mr. Dooley?"

He shook his head and set his pen down for a second, clasping his hands together on the desk. "No Teddy, you didn't know what would happen. It is not your fault. We're going to solve this, we'll find Bob and Amy, those two are going away for a long time. They won't have a chance to hurt you or anyone else again, okay?" She carefully wiped a tear and nodded, choking up the sob she'd been holding back.

"O-okay. Am I done?"

"For now Teddy. Do you have anyone to stay with? A friend, maybe family?"

"The only family I know hates me…and they're not even family…Did I give you Aunt Diane's number? She knows something too, I think."

Mr. Dooley blinked and quickly took his pen, putting the tip to the paper. "No, but I'll take it. We can use as many statements we can find."

"Okay…and what about Charlie?" He stopped and slowly glanced to her, frowning. She knew that one would be hard, considering she was Amy's daughter. "What's going to happen to her?"

"Unfortunately she is their child, but…when we find Bob and Amy, she'll be sent to a foster home." Her heart broke at the news, and once more, she wanted to scream out that it wasn't fair. There had to be something they could do, she didn't want to see Charlie go through all that hell. Ultimately she had to be going through hell as it was, but still she couldn't bear to see her traumatized even further. Foster homes were never very helpful, and to see Charlie go through that system, she could only imagine the girl ending up in a severe amount of pain.

"Foster care is…she'd just bounce from one home to another!"

"Sadly that is often what happens to foster children, we have no control over that." She whined and started to drop her head onto the table. How could they possibly help Charlie? There had to be _something_ that could be done!

"What…what can I do?" He stared for a minute and breathed a strong breath, slowly shaking his head. Tears started to run across her face as she realized the futility of her hope. "There's got to be something…there has to be…I don't want her to have to go through that whole process."

"Maybe a relative will take her. When we do catch up with the couple, once we have Charlie, a social worker will be notifying all the next of kin before putting her through foster care. Unfortunately in most cases, relatives do not usually want the responsibility…"

"It's depressing. I mean, I know she's not like my real sister or anything, but I still feel like there's a connection there…I don't want to lose her just as much as I don't want to lose Gabe or PJ. Also Amy's pregnant." The man's eyebrows shot up and Teddy began to shrink, realizing that baby would deal with the same pressures.

"She's pregnant?"

"Yes…will that child be taken away too?"

"Hate to say it, but that's most likely going to happen." She let out a loud groan and dropped her forehead to the desk. That was it, she was done, there was nothing more she wanted to say or do.

Once outside of the building with Emmett and Ivy, they met up with his parents, Lance and June. After the parents finished hugging Ivy, Teddy slowly moved towards them, anticipating her question. "Mr. and Mrs. Heglin, Emmett, I don't have a place to stay…I know you're letting Ivy stay with you till she gets on her feet, and I was wondering…maybe you could let me stay for a bit? I don't want to impose, but I don't want to leave Ivy behind."

The parents exchanged their concerned glances and Emmett started to rub his chin, sighing at the question. He didn't seem all that thrilled, but he also didn't look like he was going to turn her down in her time of need. "We have only one guest bedroom, so one of you would probably have to sleep on an air mattress," Emmett stated with uncertainty.

"If you're okay with it, we have no trouble," June replied. She was a nice woman, someone that Teddy needed in her life right now. She had a warm face as always, and soft brown curls that ran down to her chin. Her husband, Lance, always seemed stern, and he had a thick mustache that fit the stern expressions, but this time he looked more caring than anything. "That is, you sleeping on the air mattress. We have a single, full sized air mattress that we can put beside the bed."

"What about your boyfriend?" Lance asked. Teddy bowed her head and Emmett growled for a second.

"The moron flaked out on her when she told them what was going on." She moved her eyes towards the side and slowly lifted her shoulders. Did it hurt? It hurt like hell, especially since she needed someone. The one person she _needed_ more than anything was her brother, but she opted to stay in Denver. She was worried if she stayed with Emmett's family that she might put them in danger, but she really had no other choice in the matter. "Anyway, if she sticks with us for a few days, it'll be the best way she can contact PJ. Her own phone is busted, and I don't know how much money she has right now to use a pay phone on a regular basis."

"Point taken."

Teddy clasped her hands and started shaking them in front of her chest, her heart was filled with hope as she pleaded with the older man. "Please? It's until I can get on my feet. I'll find a job, find a place, but I don't want to abandon Ivy right now." Ivy smiled sadly and started to reach for her shoulder, but withdrew her hand.

"You don't have to be so concerned," Ivy commented with a quiet voice. "You need PJ, don't you? He's family."

"I don't know…I mean he could be, but there hasn't been a DNA test or anything."

"Teddy…I am glad you're so concerned, and I'm grateful for your support, but how are we going to be able to help each other? We're both dealing with trauma…" She bowed her head and slowly closed her hands. "Just don't let me keep you from your real family. Okay?"

"I know, but you're my best friend…I don't want to lose you." Ivy smiled half-heartedly and hugged her. Emmett looked to his parents, both of whom were watching while deep in thought.

"It's up to you," Emmett stated, "I don't have a problem with helping them out." Teddy knew he would be overstressed with _both_ of them relying on him, but she was grateful for his being willing to take on the task. She wouldn't force the family to hold onto her forever, she just wanted to get on her feet as soon as possible.

Lance closed his eyes and breathed out. His index finger brushed his moustache and his shoulders rose up an inch. "Okay, she can stay in the guest room with Ivy. But Teddy, you'll have to find a place to work. Not right away of course, given what's going on, but after a while we'd like for you to start trying to get on your feet."

"I understand, and _thank you_ so much." She understood well what he was saying, but she still wanted to find a job. Working would likely be an excellent way to focus on something else and push away those negative thoughts and emotions. Maybe having a job was the solution, becoming a workaholic didn't actually seem like that bad of an idea. She could most definitely do it.

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	16. Restless

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 16 (Restless)

PJ tapped his fingers on the arm of the recliner, he was watching the national news and slowly shaking his head. It was late and he couldn't bring himself to sleep, there was far too much going on. Skyler and her parents had already gone to bed, so the television wasn't on a very high volume. Unfortunately there wasn't anything else worthwhile to watch, so he was forcing himself to sit through the news.

His mind was on his sister, still. Was she okay? Why hadn't she called him? What was she doing? These were among the many thoughts on his mind, so naturally he couldn't sleep without knowing she was _safe_. Spencer hadn't called or answered his phone, and Emmett's phone was off all day. He wanted to know why this was, when he explicitly asked the two to keep their phones on or contact him if anything happened! How was he supposed to protect his little sister if he didn't even know what was going on with her?

He felt a hand touch to his shoulder and practically fell from the chair. When he turned around, he saw Skyler looking at him with tired eyes shrouded behind her beautiful hair. "PJ? You're still up?" The television must have woken her. He was staying in the guest room beside her bedroom, so likely she checked in there first and realized he wasn't there. "What's the matter?"

"I just can't get to sleep, too much on my mind right now." Skyler slowly nodded and moved to the couch beside him. It was sitting in a straight line connecting with the recliner, all chairs facing the neon glow of the television. "Did the TV wake you?"

"A little, but that's okay." She leaned over the arm of the couch and put her head to his shoulder, sighing as her eyes focused on the television. They watched for a minute as the reporter continued talking about the case, many things were being kept strictly within the police and away from the media, due to Bob and Amy still being out there. "They're going to find them, PJ. I promise the will. Dad always says the Denver Police never let the criminals get away, and this is one time they probably have the whole state, or the whole country on the lookout." He was comforted by this knowledge, but it was only a small comfort, nothing more.

"That isn't entirely what's on my mind." He felt her slide her hand up onto his chest and looked over to see her move her legs up onto the couch and her eyes close.

"Worried about your sister, aren't you."

"Yeah. Spencer was my contact for the most part, I thought for sure Teddy might contact him." Then again, he figured himself to be wrong, considering what happened to Ivy's family. It was likely Teddy didn't want the same happening to Spencer.

"Call him tomorrow. I have a feeling Teddy's safe."

"Hopefully." He turned his gaze to the screen and frowned. The reporter was now talking about the baby that was with Bob and Amy, and how the child was their own child. Surely Charlie would be safe, but in the end, she might be forced into the system, and he hated to think she'd have to go through foster care after foster care.

After several minutes, he could hear a very faint snore. Not so loud to be a terrible snore, but more of a rough breathing. He turned to Skyler and smiled at her as he put his arm around her and rested his hand upon her arm. She was an adorable sleeper, and she looked heavenly with the television's glow surrounding her. He could get used to this.

His phone began to vibrate in his pocket, so he carefully reached in and pulled it out. Fortunately it was on the left pocket, not the right where Skyler was leaning over. When he checked the ID, his heart immediately shot up with excitement, it was Emmett. He answered and cleared his throat. "Emmett, what took you so long to call? Your phone was off all day."

"Sorry about that man, it's been a _really long_ day. Anyway, Ivy and Teddy are both over here, they're sleeping in the guest room." He put his hand to his chest, immediately relieved to hear that his sister was okay.

"Good, but why is she over at your place? Wouldn't she be with Spencer?"

"Spencer? He flaked out on her…"

"What…" Anger flashed through him, but he kept his calm. Of course, if he saw Spencer, he would probably want to deck the guy. "She needs someone to help her through this, not abandon her!"

"I know. I think it had something to do with safety, dangers, and fear. Even Mom and Dad were a little concerned after what happened to Ivy, but being in the law enforcement, they're not as worried. Bob and Amy wouldn't go after us unless they were just seriously that stupid."

"Right…Now Teddy…is she there? Is she awake?"

"No, she and Ivy already went to bed. So this is like the only moment I've had all day to even get away from everything long enough…God man, both girls have gone through hell, and I have to be a shoulder for the both of them…" Confusion hit him and he raised an eyebrow, why would Emmett have to shoulder them both? He wanted Teddy to head up to where he was, he _needed_ his sister.

"Why? Teddy's not going to come to New York?"

"She doesn't want to. She wants to be here for Ivy in her time of need. Of course Ivy's already tried telling her she didn't have to stay, but…she's bound determined. She wants to find a job, probably going to look at Kwikki Chikki or something…" PJ smacked his forehead and groaned, he'd forgotten all about his place of work, he never contacted Mitch to tell him he wouldn't be working there any longer!

"Great…I have another call to make tomorrow. Anyway, have Teddy call me when she gets the chance. I'm glad she's with you guys though, at least I know she's safe."

"Right. Are you going to try to call Spencer?"

"I might…I have a few words for him…"

"Well-" Emmett yawned loudly and started to trip over something. He groaned and put his hand to his head. "I'm going to head to bed. Whatever you decide to do man, you know how to reach me."

"Yeah. Goodnight bro." PJ hung up and let his head fall back onto the recliner. He was insanely irritated but at the same time, relieved. He felt Skyler's hand shift on his chest and looked over, she was still sleeping soundly, but just gazing at her relaxed him. She likely didn't know how much good she was doing right now. He slowly leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "I love you Skyler…" Her hand curled onto his chest and her lips curved into a dreamy smile. He raised his hand up and cupped her tiny, soft hand with his. If there was anyone he wanted by his side most of all, it was her.

With his free hand, he clicked the television remote, turning off the TV. His eyes grew heavy, trying to adjust to the dark room. He gazed at the window off towards the right, the moon was shining in and casting a warm glow on the small round table with four chairs surrounding it. The living room was connected with the kitchen, separated only by a seam that changed from carpet to lemony tiles. The table overlooked the stove and counters in front of it. Behind the table and chairs was a wall that held two doors, one leading into the kitchen pantry, and one leading into the hallway that had all the bedrooms and the bathroom.

In his mind, he knew how fortunate he was to have Skyler and her family in his life. There was no way he was going to take advantage of that. He hoped when he started his new job on Tuesday, he could do it well enough to keep it. He would send some of his earnings towards the family, so as to pay them his rent.

Closing his eyes, he began to drift off into slumber. It really had been a long day, and sleep was finally coming to claim him. If he didn't wake tomorrow, he wouldn't be surprised. After all, it would be a blessing to sleep through the entire day.

The next day, sunlight stabbed his eyes and quiet voices buzzed about his ears. He slowly opened his eyes and looked towards Skyler, who was curled up on the couch beneath a purple blanket. He even had a red blanket that was covering him, and a soft pillow behind his head. He turned his eyes to the kitchen table where Skyler's parents were sitting. They both had a bowl of fiber cereal in front of them with a cup of coffee. Derek was reading the paper while Amanda quietly chatted with him about the morning news. Of course, it was Sunday, so it was Sunday's paper that Derek was reading. The case likely made headlines.

He moaned softly and looked down at the blanket with a smile, he hadn't meant to fall asleep in the chair. He pushed the blanket off and slowly rose up, stretching his arms. The parents looked over at him and Derek folded up the paper. "Good morning," Derek stated with a smile, "Though I should say afternoon. It's one-thirty."

"You eat cereal at one in the morning?"

"Sure, it can be done. We had breakfast earlier. You and Skyler can sleep through anything, you know that?" He chuckled nervously and rubbed the back of his head. "There's plenty of food in the pantry if you're hungry. Or, Amanda can make something for you."

"No that's okay. I need to make a couple phone calls anyway…um, Teddy's safe, by the way." The parents smiled at him as he moved to the table. "She's with Emmett. Though, she wants to stay down there to take care of Ivy."

"That's noble."

"Yeah. Can I just say, I'm really thankful that you're letting me stay with you. I promise to pay rent until I can really get on my feet."

"Skyler was pretty adamant about giving you a place to stay, so we're always happy to help." He smiled at Derek and looked to Amanda, who gave him a gentle nod. "Who do you have to call?"

"Well first, my former boss. I need to tell him I won't be showing up for work…again. Something I neglected in all the rush." He probably already figured it out if he was checking the news, but his boss was still unpredictable. "Then. I need to contact Spencer…" The bastard had better answer his phone too, because if he didn't, there was going to be trouble. "He flaked out on Teddy, the coward." The parents frowned and shook their heads. He made his way to the pantry and sighed, his stomach was growling up a storm.

After making himself a couple hot dogs, he tried calling Spencer. Of course, he didn't get through to him. In his aggravation, he decided it was best to cool down before contacting Mitch. When he did, Mitch was frantic. "PJ! Where are you? You should have been in work an hour ago!"

"Have you seen the news, first of all?"

"Yes. How does that affect your job?" PJ rolled his eyes and smirked while tapping his fingers on the table. Skyler had finally woken up and was taking a shower, the parents were at the couch watching television. "Not to sound heartless. I mean, I really am sorry for what you're going through-"

"It's fine. I just need to let you know that I won't be coming in anymore. I'm in New York now." He heard a stammer in the man's voice, then a long pause. When Mitch spoke up again, he was very quiet and almost timid.

"So…you're done working here? You're leaving me with these coworkers of yours?"

"Yeah man, I know it's short notice, and I'm sorry…I've accepted a job as an apprentice for a construction industry. As for the coworkers, I don't know what to tell you." He did feel _somewhat_ bad about the incompetent employees.

"It's not your problem. I'll figure out the business. I hope everything works out for you in the end, PJ. Best of luck to you." He heard the man mutter something about his best employee leaving. He felt a bit of pride at that, but considering who the coworkers were, it didn't mean a whole lot.

"Yeah. Mitch?" A devious smirk grew upon his face as he thought of Spencer, who almost always went to eat at the restaurant. "You know Spencer Walsh."

"Right, the regular…"

"Make him a little sick for me, would you?" Mitch laughed and said his goodbyes to PJ. Hanging up, PJ leaned back and sighed. He felt someone's arms around his neck and glanced up to see Skyler smiling down at him. She kissed the top of his head and leaned forward. The smell of sweet lilac drifted to his nostrils and stirred the peace within him. "Hey Sky, didn't you just get in the shower?"

"I take fast showers. Did you get a hold of Spencer?"

"Nope." She rolled her eyes and he lifted up his shoulders. "I'm just at the point where I don't really want to worry about him. I managed to get in touch with Mitch, felt kind of bad for leaving him behind like that, but I guess it couldn't be helped."

"Yeah…So, as you know, we go to the evening service at church. Do you want to join us?" Skyler and her family usually went to a nondenominational church that had two services, a morning and an evening. Church likely would be a great help with the recent things going on, he'd never really given it a lot of thought before, but now he was willing to try.

"Sure. You go to the New Life Bible Church on Oakland St?"

"Yep."

"All right, I'd be happy to join you guys later!" It was definitely a step in the right direction.

* * *

Well it's looking bright so far for PJ. He'll start his job soon. What did you think of this chapter?

Speaking of apprenticeships, I'm starting a Sheet Metal Apprenticeship soon! You know how much Journeymen make (which I'll be in 4 years)? 35 hourly! Those labor trades are excellent, so I'll also state, you better believe PJ's going to be doing well in this story. I keep things realistically smooth. I may use the Sheet Metal Apprenticeship program as a model.


	17. So Close, yet So Far

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 17 (So Close, yet So Far)

"Sir, we're here." Doug Dooley opened his eyes and stared out the window of the plane as it was beginning to lower. He was going to Palm Springs to continue the investigation. They had already sent officers to gather PJ's statement an hour ago, at 3:00. The police were taking no breaks, even though it was Sunday. He wasn't going to issue breaks, not until this case was finished. Not until the anger he had towards Bob and Amy were satiated.

He didn't know what to be angrier about, there were a number of things. First of all, the maniac took his best friend's son and ruined his family. Next, they'd been hiding so close to him for such a long time with three kids that weren't theirs! Then finally, he actually allowed the monsters into his _own home!_ Sure, it was mostly just Amy that had been over and in touch with Debbie, but it didn't make him any less pissed about it.

Currently there were three officers with him. One next to him in the aisle seat, and two in front. Everyone was wondering if they had enough evidence for an arrest. They did. The only trouble there would be was finding them. "Good to be here, now we can get to questioning Mrs. Blankenhooper." She was one of the last people they could think to get a statement from, although he did consider talking with others, such as Amy's and Bob's high school principal. The more info as he could get about the couple, the better.

He followed his officers from the airport and to the black rental police vehicle. He was wearing his black sports suit, slacks, white dress shirt and a black and silver striped tie. As he slid his sunglasses on, he scanned the perimeters of the street. Minimal traffic, it should be a decent drive. He slipped into the car and leaned back, sighing as he thought on the prior witness accounts given.

Bob's father confirmed many speculations that his son had been one of 'those hippies' back in the high school days, one to try any drug he could get his hands on. Mr. Duncan confirmed that the man had many friends back in high school who were on the shady side, some of which were probably still hanging around, so chances were Bob had somewhere to stay.

Hell, he'd ordered the police to secure all motels and exits throughout Denver, so it would be very hard for the couple to leave the city, much less the state. If he got brave, they'd find him, and they would catch him. _Dead or Alive_.

_"Do you have a list of names or addresses for these 'friends', Mr. Duncan?" Doug asked as he sat before Frank Duncan, who was sipping on his coffee. The elder man heaved a heavy sigh and shook his head._

_ "No sir, I don't associate with riffraff and scum. Why the hell do you think I've stayed as far from Bob as I can? I don't even know why my brother decided to try and get involved with them."_

_ "Brother?"_

_ "Melvin. Remember, he got fined a couple years for mooning a baseball game?" Ah yes, Doug remembered that case well. An old man from a retirement home wound up having to pay a hefty price for the deed, while also remaining confined to the center. "Anyhow, I can never remember those kids names." Frank shifted his gaze towards the hot mug and frowned, a speck of sadness fell from his eyes and he slowly moved his hands from the mug. "So…it is true then? My son really kidnapped them all?" Doug breathed out and listened to the deafening silence in the air as sorrow churned from within. This man used to be a respected member of the force back in the early sixties and late fifties. Now retired, he still had police respect._

_ "Unfortunately yes…We have a witness account of him confessing to the crime. It is enough for an arrest. We hope to get an actual confession from him, but so far all evidence and accounts point towards guilt."_

_ "And that family? The man and woman found in the woods? My son…" Frank leaned back in his chair and scoffed. "I always knew he was crazy, but Jesus, I didn't know how far he'd go. Why'd he do it?"_

_ "That's what we're going to figure out. If he makes any contact with you, or you see anything, let us know." _

_ "I will."_

It was a shame when someone had to hear their own relatives had done something so egregious and criminal. Unfortunately it was not his job to comfort and coddle these relatives, it was his job to get these criminals off the streets and to get these children home. They needed to find out if anyone else knew of locations that the couple would hide at.

His session with Amy's sister had been more beneficial. She'd come in to the station at their request, though they would have driven out to her. She didn't live outside of Denver, but was on the other side of town.

_Doug watched as the pale haired woman fidgeted with her purse, she seemed in a hurry and was very nervous being here. He looked up at the officer standing beside the door and motioned his hand to the man. "Can I get him to grab you a drink, Mrs…"_

_ "Lewis. Diane Lewis." She looked up and smiled nervously. As Doug shook her hand, he studied her gaze. Her fearful eyes were averting his, she was hiding something, but what? "I'm here to give my statement."_

_ He cleared his throat and leaned back, crossing his leg onto his left. "Right. I was told you were at the prom where Jasmine Sunice-Booth had a vat of chocolate and thumbtacks dumped onto her?" Instant recognition shot past the woman's face and she quickly nodded her head._

_ "That is right, it was a truly traumatic experience, if I recall. She wasn't alone, Bob Duncan was there…laughing it up. I know my sister, I don't know that she wanted anyone to get seriously hurt, but Bob's always had this kind of 'magical' effect on her. I don't trust him, never have, and I've stayed away from their family. He's a dangerous man…"_

_ "Yes, a very dangerous man." He tapped his chin as Diane kept glancing at her purse. She was checking her phone, by the looks of it. Her shoulders were slumping every five seconds and her eyes were flicking back and forth. "Mrs. Lewis, how are things at home, if you don't mind me asking?" She didn't look abused, no, but she was nervous. "If you know anything that could hinder this investigation, I would like to know what that is." _

_ "I…I don't know." She closed her eyes and breathed in slowly. "That man, Bob, he scares me. Things are…okay at home."_

_ "Right. Now you've said you've avoided them for several years? Have you ever speculated that your sister's children were not her own?" _

_ "Only until recently, I thought they were hers and she was just nuts, but now I see…She never treated them like a mother treats her child. When my daughter was young, and even though she's in college now, she's _still_ my everything…It didn't matter if I was tired, had a headache, sick, if she needed something, I would be there. With Amy, it mattered…PJ, Teddy, and even Gabe…whenever something was wrong, if she was too exhausted or something, she would just leave them to their own devices."_

Overall the interview hadn't turned up too much information that hadn't already been given by other witness accounts. "We're here." He shook himself from his thoughts and glanced out as they drove into the driveway for the Blankenhoopers.

The men parked and followed him up to the door, Petunia answered after a few seconds. Doug showed his badge and Petunia studied it for the moment. "Deputy Chief Doug Dooley. Mrs. Blankenhooper, I presume?"

"Yes sir, come on in." The woman stepped to the side and Doug graciously walked in. "Can I help you to some coffee?"

"No thank you." As he sat on the couch with the other officers, he glanced around the room and lifted his eyebrows at the decorations. The home was heavily decorated with glass and ceramic figurines, portraits hanging on the walls, and a very large brick fireplace. This woman was either rich, or a hoarder. He watched her walk off into another room. Crossing his arms, he sighed and glanced to the other officers, entertaining themselves by viewing the décor.

"Hank is out today," Petunia's voice echoed from the kitchen. "Anyway, if there's anything I can help you with, I'll be more than happy to do so. I was never overly fond of my daughter…I know it doesn't sound right to say that, but…I think there's something evil about her."

"Evil, ma'am?" The elder rushed back into the room only to return minutes later with a cup of coffee for herself. This was the first he'd heard someone say _Amy_ was the evil one. "I've been told that Bob was the bad influence."

"Oh he is." Petunia sat in a recliner and started to sip her coffee. "Amy's always had this thing about her, though. Since she was a kid, she wanted all the attention. She wanted to be the best, the 'star', the 'life of the party'. If she didn't get what she wanted, she'd throw a temper tantrum. She never started doing anything to severely hurt anyone until _after_ she met Bob, but beforehand, she _would_ do small things."

"Such as?"

"In elementary she lost the spelling bee to little Susie Davis…" Petunia closed her eyes and slowly sipped her coffee once more. After lowering it to her lap, she continued on. "The next day, the poor girl's food in her lunchbox had been replaced by moldy food and rotten milk." Doug raised an eyebrow as his stomach churned on the image of a young girl attempting to eat a moldy sandwich.

"You don't consider that seriously harmful?"

"Not as harmful as dumping thumbtacks and hot chocolate on someone, or kidnapping their baby…"

"Point taken. What else can you tell me about this woman's behavior?"

"Well…she was always controlling. Jazzy was her best friend, but she could never control her, so she usually went with Diane…" At the mention of the woman, his curiosity peaked. He remembered how fidgety the woman had been and was wondering even more now if there was something he'd overlooked. "Diane never willingly participated in Amy's pranks, but was often forced to participate, due to a threat of some sort. I remember being told by Diane when she was younger that she had been forced to change that girl's lunch…then in Junior high she'd been forced to tear up the theater classroom after the drama teacher refused to let Amy in a play."

"You say she was forced to do these things…what 'threats' did Amy make, if you can remember?"

"Oh…" Petunia tapped her chin and lifted her eyes up, as if going back in time. The gears were turning as well in Doug's mind, he had to know if it was possible for Amy and Bob to be forcing Diane to help them now, and if so, was she in any imminent danger? She did seem to be hinting at it in her own interview. "Now that I think about it…In the elementary school it was just a small thing that I never took as more than young girls being young girls, but Amy did say she would take Diane to the top of the jungle gym and push her off."

"You're joking…"

"No." He was appalled, but at the same time, it _did_ seem like something a kid would say just to get another to do something they wanted. Nothing anyone would have taken seriously unless Amy actually _did_ it. "In junior high there were a number of things, but when they vandalized the theater room, Amy threatened to steal Diane's boyfriend from her, or some kind of blackmail involving him."

"I see." Jesus, Amy was insane! Of course, he still remained stoic and calm, as he needed to be as professional as he could be. However, the more he thought about it, the more nervous he became. "Is there anything _else_?"

"Yes, I know we told you about the event at the prom, correct? I do believemy threatened to cut the brakes on the car of Diane's prom date if she didn't help her set everything up…but then again, that might have been Bob's threat."

"Hmm…Ma'am, do you think it is possible that Amy's influence over her sister would still be present?"

"Most likely. Diane's tried to avoid her for years, but I know my daughters well enough to know if Amy were to go to her with a demand and a threat, Diane would probably be scared of her."

"I can imagine, and Bob?"

"Ten times worse, I cannot tell you how many phone calls I got from Diane over the years stating how afraid she was to be living in the same area as that man, but her husband never wanted to move." That was it, he just couldn't shake the ever-growing pit in his stomach. He had a hunch, but he couldn't act on it. He started to get up, but when the woman started to speak again, he paused. "I got a call from Diane just today actually. She wanted to talk about what was going on with the news, she said she only just got some time alone, and wanted to talk about some things but couldn't…Why?"

"When we questioned Diane, she was shaking more than trees in a hurricane. I had a feeling there was something she was keeping from us…I'm wondering if it's possible Bob and Amy might be staying with her." Petunia's eyes began to grow and the mountain of a woman froze, slowly becoming fearful. The thought of Bob and Amy with Diane indeed sounded frightening.

"If they are, Diane would never let them stay there willingly. Is my baby safe?"

"That's what I'm hoping to find out. I need to make a phone call…" He grabbed out his phone and moved into the next room, mentally slapping himself for divulging Diane's interview. As he dialed Michael's number on this hunch, he thought it would be a good idea to let Mike take care of this.

"Doug, what's going on?" Michael asked, inquisitiveness laced his tone.

"I know I asked you off the investigation, but I have something I need you to do. Have you left on your trip already?"

"No. Not yet. The kids are getting eager though." There was a clattering in the background, followed by glowing laughter. He heard his friend chuckle and smiled at this, finally Michael was becoming happy once more. His family was whole, and that's what was important, but now he wanted to give Mike an opportunity to get some extra closure.

"The man that took your son…you want to be the one to arrest him. Now I don't usually do this, but there's reason to believe Bob and Amy might be forcing Amy's sister, Diane Lewis, to shelter them. Gather the police and go investigate, since I'm here in Palm Springs…"

"Huh?" He could just call the station and have them take care of this, but he was closest to Michael and this was the man's shot. "I'll do it."

"Work fast. I have to finish gathering the statement from Mrs. Blankenhooper."

Within twenty minutes, Michael was already at Diane's home with three police cars racing down the street. Any chances that Bob and Amy were there constituted as a danger to Diane and her husband, so they had to rush. He didn't want them to wind up like the Wentz family, such a tragedy.

As he made his way towards the door, he could see neighbors poking their heads from their homes, all watching. The other officers started to move from their vehicles, all positioning themselves with their guns drawn, ready to act if Bob and Amy were inside and tried to run.

His heart ached with rage and a sense of anxiousness, this was the closest he'd come to finally putting this man away. He could feel the pressure burning inside as he rang the doorbell. After a second, the door flew open and a middle aged woman flew out and threw her arms around his neck. "Thank god! The police!" She looked back over her shoulder and called out. "William! It's okay, we're safe now!"

"Ma'am?" His heart started to sink as the woman stepped back. Her husband walked into view, he had a black eye and a cut on his face. "We have reason to believe Bob and Amy Duncan may be hiding out here." He lifted his hand, signaling the other officers, all of whom stood and lowered their weapons. Diane's face sunk and her eyes dropped towards the ground.

"You can search. Bob and Amy _were_ here, but they forced us to shelter them. They said if we didn't, they'd kill us! Or, Bob did…" Her terrified eyes shot back up to him and his breath caught in his throat. He feared the inevitable, that the couple had already run. "They left after I had to go in for questioning. They said if we spoke up at all, they'd come back. Please, don't let them hurt us…"

"They're not here?" He slowly closed his hands and started to mentally curse at the situation. A wasted effort, almost, he could have been getting ready to leave with his family. Damn this couple, he hated them with every fiber of his being. He slowly turned around to the other officers, shaking and trying to hold back his emotions as he barked out his orders. "I need half of you to search the place, half of you start searching the streets. If Bob and Amy are indeed gone, _find them!_" He paused and glanced back to Diane and William. "The police will protect you. We'll find you a safe house."

"Thank you. Thank you so much." The woman moved out of her home with her husband, apparently trying to keep calm. They walked over to a couple officers while other officers hurried into the house. Michael waited several minutes until the men returned, he was hoping they'd have _good_ news, but much to his disdain, the couple were indeed gone. They did, however, leave behind evidence that they'd been there. Charlie's baby bottle had been found beneath the couch, and was now in an evidence bag.

"Shit…" Michael rubbed his fingers against his eyes. He felt like crap, once again, Bob Duncan eluded him. Now he had to call Doug and tell him the couple was still out there on the run. "Fuck it, I need to get back to my family before I have a heart attack…"

* * *

Intense, feel bad for Michael just a bit. What did you guys think? One of the few rare times where the perspective isn't on the main three.


	18. Family Vacation

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 18 (Family Vacation)

Gabe poked his head from the bedroom and peered out into the living room where his father was. Michael was hunched over on the couch rubbing his face with his hands, his police cap was sitting beside him.

He glanced back to the bedroom. While Michael had been out, Nicole had gone out to buy a separate bed that she helped build with the twins. So now Gabe had a place to sleep on the left side of the room, two twin beds with an end table between them. They also had a television set in front of the footboards, with a game console and an array of video games that he and Denise would likely spend hours playing. The empty feeling he had growing up was finally beginning to diminish.

Thinking on his father, he walked towards the couch and sat beside Michael, lifting his hand to rub the man's back. Michael looked over to him with a soft smile, but sad eyes. It looked like he was struggling to keep from crying. "I don't know what's going on Gabe, I can't say I've ever come this close to tears." It was a good thing Michael wasn't so hardened anymore, having the family whole again likely softened him up. "I came so close to getting them. _So close_, and they just slipped out from under me."

"I don't know about you, but I'm not so worried anymore." Michael raised an eyebrow as he leaned back on the couch and put his hands behind his head. With a heavy sigh, he continued on, "I mean look at it this way Dad. The family's _whole_ again, I don't feel so empty anymore, and we're about to go on a road trip with the entire family! I get to meet the relatives I've never met. Mom's happy, Denise is happy, I'm happy…do you think it's worth it to carry on a vendetta? I mean Bob and Amy…they should be caught…" He leaned forward and clasped his hands together between his knees, hardening his face just a bit. Whenever he thought about what those two had done, it made his stomach twist so violently, as if someone had jabbed a knife right into him. "But Deputy Dooley called you off the case for a reason. He's your best friend, right?"

"Yes. I know Doug well enough to know he'd give his life to protect this family, as would I his." Gabe smiled, grateful to know the two men went so far back.

"Then know that _he'll_ get them. I know it wasn't just me that was a victim…PJ and Teddy aren't the only victims either. Mr. and Mrs. Booth are the victims. You, mom, and Denise are victims…all our relatives are victims, even Bob's and Amy's families were unwitting victims…_everyone _was a victim to them. Everyone they ever lied to, everyone they ever deceived. Not only did they destroy us, but they were even close to the Dooley's, and I can't imagine how that must effect Mr. Dooley…" He took a deep breath and looked up to his Dad, who was gazing at him with a proud smile. "Point is, they deceived him too. They hurt his best friend. As much as PJ's friend Emmett would probably want to take them out, I bet Mr. Dooley wants to take them out even more, and he has the _means_ to do it. Trust him, leave the worrying and the police work to him, and be with your family. Be happy, be with Mom, Denise, and be with me…I just went twelve years not knowing you all. It scares me, but I think I'm going to be okay."

Michael reached over and hugged him. "You're going to be just fine Gabe. I am proud of you, and thank you…" Gabe's heart warmed as his eyes started to water, he would do anything to make this man proud of him. It was strange, this instant connection he felt to his family members. "I'll be there for you, for Denise, your mother…I have to be, you're my family and I love you." Michael moved back and rubbed Gabe's hair. Gabe laughed once and reached up, straightening his now messy hair. "I'll try not to worry too much about Bob and Amy, I know Doug will get them. He'll stop at nothing to catch a criminal, especially when it becomes personal. That's just the way it is, the way it's always been."

"Right." He'd seen a photograph of the two, taken many years ago when they were just starting in on the force. Their friendship must have begun when they entered the force, or even before. "You two were partners, right?"

"Yep, started the police job as partners, then worked our way up. It was his determination and wit, ability to catch the criminals that got him ranked up faster than myself. If anyone can catch that couple, it'll be him. He might even be appointed Police Chief for it!" Michael laughed heartily and Gabe beamed with confidence. Mr. Dooley sounded like the type to deserve that rank, but chances were he wasn't aiming to get that rank. This was all about what was right. Michael sighed and put his hand to Gabe's shoulder, smiling slightly. "So, are you ready to meet the rest of the family?"

As much as it scared him, only because it seemed overwhelming at first, he was prepared. It was great to have a large family, because that meant all that many people were standing there, supporting you. He smiled confidently and nodded at his father. "Yeah, can't wait. So, we're all meeting up somewhere?"

"Yeah. First we have to pick up your girlfriend, then we're going to pick up your mom's grandmother at her home. We'll all be together in the family van. My parents and Nicole's parents will be traveling with your mother's brother and his family in his van. My brothers will be in one van together with their families." It sounded confusing at first, but from what he understood, they would be traveling the country in three vans together. "After a while people are free to travel with whomever they want, so we'll probably switch out people."

Within the hour, they were at Gran-Gran Alice's home, where Uncle Brian had already arrived. Brian was on the front lawn helping Alice with her things while his wife, Penny, and daughter Erin exited from their car. Nicole met her brother with a hug and started to introduce Gabe to them.

He smiled nervously and slowly waved at the relatives. Alice stood straight with a slight humpback. She had a very kindly, wrinkled face and eyes full of age and wisdom. Her hair was thin, wispy, and flat against her head. She walked with a small brown cane in her right hand. Brian looked like a typical middle aged man with a medium build and short brown hair. He had laugh lines framing his smile and a friendly look to him. Penny was a tall woman with a soft fur robe wrapped around her body. She had short brown hair that curled at the bottom and friendly brown eyes and a slender nose between high cheekbones. Erin was tall for thirteen years old. She had long sandy-brown hair and wire framed glasses that rested upon her oval face.

To his right was Denise, and to his left was Jo. Both girls pushed him forward, causing him to nearly trip over himself. "Hey! Not nice…" He pat himself down and looked up with a chuckle as he felt all eyes on him. "H-Hi…I'm Gabe. Or Daniel, whichever you prefer…Gabriel, Daniel, either one, I'm shutting up now." Jo rolled her eyes and Denise started to snicker. Gabe shot them both a glare, his cheeks burned and sweat dripped along his forehead. "I'm just a little nervous. Sue me." He didn't think he'd be so jittery! Hell, he was talking so rapidly that he felt he'd annoy the living hell out of the family.

Alice put her hand to her chest and her wrinkled cheeks rose upwards. "Finally, my great grandchild's where he belongs." She moved towards him and wrapped her surprisingly thin arms around him. Brian, Erin, and Penny all moved over to him. He smiled and looked to the door to see four elders move outside, the grandparents had already been at the home.

Both grandmothers were tall, had their hair in neat perms. Nicole's mother, Tammy had the grey hair, smooth and straight face, and no glasses. She had a round figure and a blue dress. Michael's mother, Eve, had glasses, white hair, a round face and a thin figure and peach colored dress. Nicole's father Jerry, had white hair that almost resembled a mad scientist. He had a kind, V-shaped face with raised cheekbones and sparkling blue eyes. Michael's father, Joseph had a straight block shaped face with white hair combed back and a fuzzy white goatee. All the grandparents smiled at him and moved over towards him.

After everyone hugged him and happily introduced themselves, he felt almost like a plate of food passed around a family table. He loved the attention, but it was just a tad overwhelming. "So, when do I meet my other Uncles and cousins?" He asked with a sheepish laugh. He looked towards Uncle Brian's red SUV and hummed slightly.

"Since we beat you guys here, we decided to call up Tyler and Kyle," Brian replied. "They'll be here soon enough." He pat Gabe's shoulder and smiled at him. "Sorry if we're overwhelming you, we're all just happy you're with us now." He breathed in and let out a calm exhale, there really was no reason to be so nervous.

"I know, it's just…I never pictured having such a big family before. It's frightening, but at the same…I'm happy. Before, the family I grew up thinking was my own, nobody really cared about each other. It was just me, PJ, and Teddy really." It was euphoric having such a big family that loved and cared about one another, and him. "I was half expecting everyone to be awkward and all…"

Erin laughed and quickly shook her head. "Awkward does _not _describe this family. I swear everyone here is almost _too_ close knit!" Denise bounced over and hugged Erin, Gabe merely smiled. There was a genuine feeling of utopia in the air, it all felt like a dream to him. "I mean sure we have our ups and downs, but family is family, no matter what. You'll probably get annoyed with my mom sometimes, though."

"Hey!" Penny proclaimed, laughing mildly and playfully knocking Erin on the top of the head. Erin chuckled as the woman began grooming her daughter's hair. "I am not that bad."

"True, but mom, the incessant grooming has _got_ to stop. How many times are you going to try to brush my hair today?_ Hmm?_" Penny withdrew her hand and chuckled nervously. Erin folded her arms over and sighed. "Mom is a perfectionist, if there's anything out of place, she just _has_ to straighten it."

Denise leaned into Gabe and smirked playfully. "And you thought mom was a neat freak." Nicole protested and Denise began laughing. "Well she and Aunt Penny _are_ sisters after all. Speaking of family…" Gabe glanced over to see a brown mercury van pulling up. There were seven people that wound up piling out of their cars in a hurry.

The eldest man, Uncle Tyler, looked much like Grandpa Joe. He had a brown goatee with white edges on the bottom portion. He had a receding hairline and a bald spot on the back of his head. The other man, Uncle Kyle, looked almost militaristic with short brown hair and cheekbones raised high. He had a friendly smile and eyebrows raised up.

"So, where's my nephew?" Kyle asked with a grin. Gabe waved as Kyle rushed over to him. "Well, can I use the 'last time I saw you' line on you, or should it be the 'pull my finger' trick?" Gabe raised an eyebrow as Denise explained it to him.

"Uncle Kyle's the funny one. He's always making jokes, and since we don't see him often, he _always_ does the 'last time I saw you' thing." Kyle looked over to Denise and spread his arms out, encasing her in a big bear hug.

"Denise! Last time I saw you, you were just _this _tall!" He put his hand level with her shoulders and she giggled slightly. Gabe laughed. He looked over at his cousins, Kyle's two sons. They were shaking their heads. The oldest, fourteen, Lucas, was very tall and had brown shaggy hair with his bangs hovering over his eyes. Johnny was a year younger than Gabe, he had chin length brown hair and bangs that were sweeping over his left eye. Beside them was their mother, Aunt Olivia. She was wearing a shoulder-less black dress and had dark brown hair curling towards her waist. She had strong jowls and a kindred smile, but a piercing gaze.

Uncle Tyler moved to his brother and put his arm around Michael's shoulders. "So this is what you look like when you smile, eh Mikey?" Michael closed his eyes as Tyler smacked his abdomen and laughed. "It's about damn time, I thought you were going to develop permanent frown lines!" His wife, Maria, put her hands together and closed her eyes.

"Finally the emptiness is gone, our prayers answered…we can all be together now." From what he understood, Maria was a very spiritual Christian woman. She had the same skin as Skyler did and her black feathery hair was up in a bun. She had an olive shaped face and pretty eyes. Her daughter, Katrina, stepped beside her and rubbed her back. Katrina looked at Gabe and breathed out.

"Worth taking a few weeks off from college," she stated. "Worth every bit of time I can get. Definitely worth seeing Uncle Mike and Aunt Nicole happy too." From what Denise said before about Katrina, she was the most protective cousin, always looking out for the others because she was the oldest. Like Jo, she was very heavily into martial arts. If they ever ran into Bob or Amy, Katrina would likely kick their asses. "We're going to have such a great trip! I think Denise said your girlfriend knows some martial arts?" Her eyebrows rose and Gabe glanced over to Jo with pride.

Jo grinned and gladly performed a frontal kick. "You bet!"

"Awesome!" Katrina hurried over to the two and put her hand to Gabe's shoulder. "Gabe, you don't mind me stealing Jo from you sometimes, do you?" He blinked for a moment, and then laughed. It was amazing the kinship that he saw between the two girls.

"Up to her," he answered.

"Good." Katrina turned to Jo and smirked. "You and I are going to hike up some mountains sometime, sound good?" Jo scoffed with pride and swept her hand across her brow, flicking her brown ponytails back.

"Fine by me! Gabe's not that good at karate or anything, so it'll be good to have a sparring partner." His cheeks went red as she smirked in his direction.

As time passed, things became easier for him, until he was almost completely comfortable with them. They all piled into their cars and started off, they were only going to drive to the first hotel where Pike's Peak was located before truly beginning the journey. In truth, they were really going to drive to the Grand Canyon, then Amarillo Texas to stop. After that, it was off to Nashville, Tennessee, then up to Niagara Falls. After that, they were going to backtrack towards home, possibly stopping off in Chicago.

This was looking to be a fun trip for everyone, and any schooling left to finish would be done along the way with teachers sending in the lessons and tests online. It would be something to do while in the car. Truly, this was the happiest he'd been in so long. It was also the perfect therapy, just being there with his family. What more could he ask for?

* * *

Seems Gabe's got a pretty good extended family. What do you all think?


	19. Guidance

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 19 (Guidance)

PJ watched Skyler as she straightened the collar of his dress shirt, looking gorgeous as always in her long, flowery dress. The church wasn't overly formal, but they still wanted to look nice. Skyler let her hair flow against her back, but had a braid around her crown. He was a little nervous, but by that same regard, he was excited. He'd be meeting up again with her Uncle Douglas, perhaps she had some other relatives up here as well.

Skyler stepped back, studying his shirt and circling around him. "Okay PJ, I'd say it looks good!" She called over her mom and dad, both of whom came into the room. Derek had on a grey dress shirt with brown stripes and black slacks, Amanda had a similar flower patterned gown that Skyler did, only hers was red while Skyler's was purple. "Mom, Dad, what do you think of his outfit? Good?" He spread his arms out and watched as Derek scratched his chin and studied the outfit. Amanda circled him, nodding her head. He chuckled nervously, feeling almost like sharks were circling him.

"It is acceptable," Amanda replied with a smile. He lowered his arms and sighed, this was going to be a different experience, that was for sure. He didn't often go to church, but he still believed in the Lord and whatnot. "So, are you all geared to go?" He reached over to his bed, which he was staying in the guest bedroom, and picked up his bible. All of his things had been shipped to him, so the room looked like someone threw a bunch of boxes into it. He had to dig through some of them to find the bible.

He opened the front of the book and delighted in a message left for him, signed by Mr. Dooley. _"PJ, I hope this finds you well. Keep the faith, they say He will provide during tough times, and I believe it's true. Stay strong and you will go far. You and your siblings are in our prayers."_ He closed his eyes and drew in a calm, steady breath. He was always grateful for the Dooley family and did believe things would work out. "Yeah, I'm ready to hit the road, but will Uncle D be there?"

"Yes," Derek answered. "Along with Aunt Janice and Abigail."

"All right." Abigail was about twenty-three, studying hotel management and hoping to be a CEO one day. Skyler talked fondly about her cousin, never was there anything bad to say about her. "Maybe he can tell me more about the apprenticeship program I'm getting involved in."

Once at the church, he saw it wasn't a _giant_ building, but a nice small and homely brown stone building. It had a pointed roof and a cross on the top of the peak. Inside, the foyer was wide with many pews in five rows going from the stage all the way back towards the brown walls. The carpet was a clean red color. For some reason, being here gave PJ a very warm, peaceful feeling.

Douglas Bosca was located in the third row, four pews back with his family. He didn't look that much like Derek. He was tall, skinny, had a big nose and short, combed hair. His wife, Janice, had a round face and vibrant red hair up in leafy curls. Abigail had a very narrow face with long brown hair and auburn highlights. Standing in front of them was a tall man in his early fifties. He had wavy grey hair and a strong, yet peaceful expression on his wise face.

As the family made their way over, Douglas smiled widely and rose to his feet. The older man glanced over with a smile and lifted up his hand. "Pastor Travis, this here is PJ!" Douglas said with a glint of pride in his voice. "He's my niece's boyfriend and my new apprentice!" Pastor Travis nodded and extended his hand, to which PJ immediately shook it.

"It's good to meet you, PJ. I've heard a lot about you from Miss Bosca here." He noticed Skyler's cheeks beginning to turn red. He smirked playfully, glad to hear she had so much good to say about him. "I am glad you've decided to come today, despite what's been going on in your life right now."

"Yeah, but I don't want to wind up moping." He pulled his hand back and sighed. "Have to keep moving onwards. It's good to be here, and thank you." Once the pastor left, the family made their way into the pew. PJ sat next to Douglas, Skyler next to him, and the parents beside her. Any nervousness he had was gone now, surprisingly enough. "So Uncle D, what can you tell me about the apprenticeship? Anything I should know, besides the fact that the foreman is apparently scary." Douglas laughed and pat him on the shoulder.

"No, no, he's not _scary_, he's just really devoted to his job and can be strict on the workers if they don't follow the rules. He's friendly enough and easy to be around, just a really hard worker that expects the best from his workers. Apprentices get it a bit easy because they're new and learning. Anyway, Monday's the meeting."

"Meeting?"

"Yeah, orientation is basically a safety meeting. The foreman will sit down with all the workers and go over the rules and basic mechanics that you need to know." PJ lifted his eyebrows and hummed, he was definitely intrigued. "Now there are many different trades in the construction field…" Douglas rubbed his chin and studied him for a moment. "Sheet metal. You seem like a sheet metal worker. What more, that's also the foreman's skilled trade, so you could likely get some help and advice from the big guy yourself!" His eyes widened a moment and he drew in a sudden, sharp breath. "Anyway, the project has various teams and various field foremen working with each team. The guy I keep talking about is just the supervisor of the _entire_ project. So he's more than just your boss, he's _the_ boss."

"Great…as scary as you've made him out to be, I'm almost afraid to meet him."

"Don't be nervous. " PJ raised an eyebrow and hummed. Why shouldn't he be nervous? Could the foreman smell nervousness and be harder on the nervous ones to weed them out? He chuckled vainly and felt Skyler squeeze his hand. His anxiety went away the minute he felt her eyes on him, confidence and determination quickly replaced that anxiousness. "Anyway you'll do just fine. Remember, you'll have to be there _by_ six. I have some paperwork for you to fill out, and of course you've already done the drug test."

"Yeah. I guess I won't have to worry about getting started just nervous still. I mean what if I don't have what it takes?" At least they would see if it was right for him or not, but really there was no choice. "I do want to get started on college soon." He was just worried about not having the money.

"I'm sure you'll be able to do just that, Right now though, it'll be good to have a job to focus all your stress on. Something to busy the mind. Also, don't forget work boots, preferably steel toe."

He'd have to go to the store and buy some, but that wouldn't be a problem. He did, of course, wonder if he was a little too young. "Okay. You think my being eighteen would cause an issue?" Douglas glanced over and shook his head, a little relief to him.

"No. It is a bit young for construction, that's got the boss a little curious. He says if it were his kid, he wouldn't let him work in construction at eighteen, he'd send him through college first." Too bad he needed the money, it wasn't probable for him _not_ to work right now. At least, he didn't think it would be good for him not to.

"I see. Well, thanks for getting a word in for me."

"Anytime." They looked to the stage, where the Pastor was making his way up to the microphone. "All right, service is starting…"

After the service was over, PJ and Skyler were finishing up some scripture reading in the bedroom. He felt a lot better than he'd been over the past few days, so perhaps there was something more to the spiritual thing than he'd thought. He was more than happy to keep this up if it truly helped so much.

"So, it's been a good day," Skyler said as she closed up the Bible and set it aside. She smiled at him and took his hand, gripping it firmly. "How are you feeling, PJ?"

"Surprisingly, pretty good. I'm kind of psyching myself up for tomorrow. If this foreman is friendly, great, but if he's as scary as your uncle makes him out to be…I don't know how well I'm going to survive that." Skyler giggled and brought her hand up to his cheek, cupping it gently and gazing into his eyes.

"You'll do just fine, PJ. I know you will." He smiled back at her and slowly moved his arms around her, pulling her into a hug. He pecked her lips and gazed into her soft eyes.

"For good luck. I love you, Skyler."

"I love you too."

In Denver, Spencer decided to stop off at Kwikki Chikki once more. He entered and made his way to the cashiers, smiling brightly at the manager waiting for him. Mitch smirked and looked down to the register. "Ah Spencer, come for the usual?"

"Number three, Mitch."

"We have a special drink that I think you should try! As a matter of fact, I _insist_ you try." Spencer lifted his eyebrows and reluctantly shrugged his shoulders. "It is called 'Brother Punch' and it is so good that you truly feel it in the gut. It's a shake, so I can replace your drink with that."

"I guess I could try it…" He tapped his chin and gazed up at the menu. His food came to him almost instantly, as did the shake. He didn't see anyone making it, but the machine for it was probably in the back. "Thanks." Paying the man, he took the food and walked towards a booth. Mitch walked up and watched as he began drinking the shake. The cool liquid spread and melted onto his tongue and slipped down his throat. It tasted a little oily, but it was good. "This isn't bad! What made you think of it?"

"It's made in memory of PJ Duncan, my star employee that moved to New York. He dedicated this to his sister, Teddy." Immediately Spencer frowned and continued sipping the shake. He didn't feel like he should have left her in the manner that he did, but what was done was done. There was no fixing it.

"Well, the shake is-" A sour feeling struck him in the gut, much like someone throwing their fist into it. He put his hand to the stomach and groaned as he felt an increasing rumbling, "Oh no…" His eyes widened and he quickly ran for the bathroom, not noticing the ever-growing smile on Mitch's face.

Spencer hurried for the toilet and hunched over, spewing the shake back up. Unfortunately, he didn't account for diarrhea at the same time. His nostrils and throat burned as his stomach continued to clench and jump. He could hardly take any more! It occurred to him then, could this be punishment somehow? With more vomit coming up, he let out a bellowing and mournful cry. Mitch's voice came from the outside of the bathroom, confident and snarky.

"Don't worry, it's only making you sick. PJ told me to tell you, you should have stuck around for Teddy. Since he couldn't personally be here to punch you, he decided it was best that I do it. Don't worry though, you're still our favorite customer here." Spencer groaned once more and fell to his knees while grasping the porcelain toilet for dear life. "I'll get someone to clean up, don't you worry. Just let me know when you're finished."

* * *

Heh, threw Spencer in for you guys as a treat. Let me know what you thought of everything!


	20. First Day on the Job

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 20 (First Day on the Job)

"This is exhausting," Emmett complained. PJ had the phone on speaker as he drove towards the construction site. He chuckled at his friend, who _seriously_ woke up early in the morning just to wish him luck on his first day of work. Where it was almost six in the morning for him, Emmett was two hours behind. "Ivy and Teddy are both asleep, but you want to know why I managed to get up? I never went to bed! Those girls never seemed to be able to sleep."

"They've been through hell, Emmett." He turned the corner and gazed out at the sky, slowly the sun was starting to rise. He listened to Emmett rant on for just a moment. "I appreciate you being there for Teddy, and I'm sure she and Ivy appreciate you just as much." He honestly didn't know what he'd do if he didn't know his little sister was safe. He was more than sure she was his _real_ sister but he needed something that would confirm that. "I know it's hard to support the _both_ of them, and then at the same time aren't you taking in your nephew?"

"Yeah, I'm talking my parents into letting _me_ raise him, just because I want to. He was my brother's child and we were always close." His brother died in some work accident some time ago, the mother left him before then and never came back. "So yes it's exhausting, forgive me if I complain once or twice!" PJ laughed as Emmett smacked some wood surface, likely his table. "Doesn't mean I'm any less willing to help them out, but PJ, can't do it forever. If you really think Teddy's your _actual _sister, then you need to convince her to go up to New York."

"You heard her ultimatum, she doesn't want to leave Ivy. I'm pretty sure there is nothing that will get her up here." He did think about finding the two cousins that had been in Denver, though he didn't remember which one was the one that lived in New York somewhere. He had to assume that he was 'David' Booth. In which case, he knew the father's name and could likely search him out, but for now he was just going to focus on his new job. "Anyway, I'm going to have to let you go, I'm almost at the place. Take it easy, man."

'Right, take care. Let me know how the first day goes. Talk to you when you get off."

"Later man." He hung up the phone and sighed as the small construction building came into view. Behind was a large structure that would soon become the 'project' he'd be helping with. Evidently he was with the sheet metal workers, which was good, as it was not only the big time foreman's trade, giving some favor towards sheet metal workers, but it was also Douglas's team. Douglas was one of the field foremen within the project. "Here we are…guess I'll find a place to park…"

Within minutes he was following Douglas into a meeting room with a long table and several people sitting around it. He'd filled out the wage rate form that he'd been given and was now taking a packet from a stack of papers being passed around the table. Douglas had given him the hardhat, leather gloves, safety glasses and orange vest he needed, these were things to be worn at all times. "The Foreman's not been doing too well lately," Douglas warned. "So it's best if you just keep quiet and lay low."

"Got it." He wondered if the man was just feeling sick or if there were something else going on. "How often would we see him?"

"It's a big place and he comes out on occasion to supervise or do some work, but most times he's in his office dealing with paperwork or less than helpful employees. The sheet metal workers see him more than the other trades out here and he helps us with our tasks from time to time. It can be nerve-wracking at times, but really you get used to it."

"Huh, I see." He folded his arms over and lifted his head, both surprised and eager to hear that he could possibly see the big guy more often. "So the big boss…" He heard some people murmuring and glanced over to see other workers staring and pointing at him. He wanted to speak up and ask what their problem was, but lately he just didn't feel like it. "Uncle D, do you see how people are looking at me?"

"Eh they probably just don't think you have what it takes or something. We have these meetings every week, so usually when they see a skinny guy come in here, they might start poking fun or whatever. That, or, they're intimidated because you're getting to be a sheet metal worker."

"Oh please. It's not like I'm his son or anything." He frowned and dipped his eyes to the table. He could have avoided saying that, but now the aura of depression was rising up again. It was such a tender spot, not knowing who or where your real parent was. "Another reason I'm here…I don't even know who I am anymore, what I believe…It's all dangerous territory for me."

"I know. Try to put it out of your mind for now. If you can…it'll be all right."

"Yeah…thanks." He shook his head and sighed, opting to not think about this any further. Any thoughts on the matter, he was just going to ignore for the time being and deal with it later. He stared down at his hands and narrowed his eyes. No matter how much he tried to ignore it, though, he simply couldn't.

A deep voice entered the silent room and he quickly snapped his head towards his left where the man was speaking. It was _him_, the foreman. He missed hearing the man identify himself, but he'd figure names out later.

The foreman was seated at the head portion of the table with some papers in front of him. He had very short blond hair, just a bit more than a buzz, with a V-shaped hairline. He had a muscular frame and sharp, piercing eyes. His hands were strong and calloused. The man's mighty jaw was locked and his expression stern. He had slight frown lines covered by a thick moustache, and two creases on his forehead. His body was very tanned, as though he was constantly out in the sun.

PJ felt a little pull towards the man, but it was nothing he could explain or cared to worry about. When the foreman made eye contact with him, his gaze seemed to hold him there, almost commanding and studying him at the same time. Yes, he was just as scary as Douglas made him out to be!

"If you have your wage rate forms, pass them up now. If you don't have a form given by your employer, you'll not be able to sit in today's meeting and will have to come in Wedneday. Now the packet I handed you, you'll see various sections, I will be going over each. This is a very strict by-the-book job, so I'm just going to say it now…get the job done, no lounging about. If I catch anyone on the job snoozing, you'll be given a warning first, written up, and then asked to leave the project…" The foreman eyed the people in the room, stopping on PJ. His hands started to close and he looked over to a man walking in.

"All the wage rate forms ready for processing?" The foreman ran his hand though his hair and slowly lifted the forms up. The man started to walk off, but the foreman stopped him. "Yes sir?"

"Can you grab me some water? I'm having a little trouble with my throat." He rubbed his throat for a minute and the man hurried off with a nod. "All right…" He returned his attention to the workers and his lips fell into a flat line. "Let's get started shall we?"

"That was odd," Douglas said after the meeting. "I've never seen him acting so out of sorts like that, he usually never lets personal stuff bother him during work." PJ chuckled and folded his arms.

"I'm the same way, but sometimes it's difficult to keep it in even when focusing on a task."

"True." The safety meeting had been boring for the most part, but he managed to pay attention as it was deathly important that he know the works. He followed Douglas with one other person, a tall guy with glasses underneath specially made safety glasses. He had a stubbly beard and thicker goatee. He went by the name 'Chad'. They walked into the construction building and started down into a crawlspace.

The first thing PJ noticed was the crawl space was about five feet tall, just about everyone had to bend over to walk. There were various rectangular rises in the ceiling where they could stand straight up, fortunately. He was already beginning to have second thoughts, but it wasn't like he could change his mind. He didn't want to be a freeloader, he needed some form of income to pay rent and possible future bills.

At their station, there were blueprints laid over a large spindle looking table. Next to it was a large orange water jug, it was highly stressed that workers stay hydrated. He _was_ curious about the heat. Of all things he suspected he received from his birth father, like the almost commanding presence that so terrified Bob before, he knew his birth mother had a major issue with the heat. Too much and he could have a heat stroke, and construction was a very heated and stressful job, he likely wasn't cut out for it. He didn't tell Douglas this, considering the man would likely tell him he wouldn't be able to work there.

He looked around at the small group of workers who were introducing themselves to him. One introduced himself as Tim Bryant, was a seasoned worker of about forty-four years old. He was tall and had grey hair. His moustache and round framed hardhat made PJ think of him as a cowboy. Another was a short Mexican man by the name of Emmanuel. He had a round, friendly face, and spoke clear English. The other man there was Tanner, about the same height as PJ and with red hair and a red beard.

"So here's what we're trying to do right now," Douglas said while spreading out the blueprints. Everyone surrounded him as he hunched over and pointed at what appeared to be two long pipes, then pointed at the concrete that stretched back for what seemed like a mile, though it was really a few yards. "We're going to use this chalk line to pop a straight line along that will mark where we're going to hang the pipes that we have to install. We also need to install some metal hangers. PJ, have you had any experience with tools before?"

"Not exactly…" He grimaced and soon began to feel stupid for being there in such case. He felt his skin sliding and frowned as his hair began to stick to his forehead, _already_ he was beginning to sweat! It truly was hot out, so he prayed he wouldn't have the same issues that his birth mother may have had. However, if he did, he'd find out soon.

"It's simple," Chad pat his shoulder and cleared his throat. "Basically do what you're told and you'll be fine. You're learning, don't be afraid to ask questions."

"Questions are extremely important," Douglas continued. He waved his hand in a circle and exhaled. "It's better that you ask about something rather than doing something that you're not sure about or don't know anything about. Remember that. It's all about teamwork here."

"Bosca!" A voice called out from the stairs, it was the foreman. Douglas winced and everyone looked back as the man descended the stairs. His heavy footsteps echoed in the crawlspace as he bent over and moved towards them. PJ was glad to see someone taller than he was, the foreman looked to be about six foot five. "Where is your apprentice?"

"Right here, sir," PJ stepped forward and tucked his hands behind his back for support. He was a bit nervous, but at the same time, he was comfortable. "How can I help you?"

"How old are you?"

"Eighteen. I'll be turning nineteen in November."

"Why are you here? You should be going to college. This isn't the type of job for someone your age." He bowed his head and clicked his tongue.

"Well…long story short. I'm living with my girlfriend, have no money and want to pay her parents back somehow, nor do I have enough money to get into college."

The man stared for a minute, studying him, it was almost uncomfortable until he turned his gaze away from PJ and towards Douglas. "Just be careful. Now Douglas, I don't want any mistakes. From what he understood, the man would make someone redo the entire mistake by accident. "I'm not sure this work will be good for you, so just do your best…stay close to your team and listen to them."

"Yes sir." The man hummed and looked over to Douglas, motioning him over to the side. The two men walked a few feet away. "Okay Douglas, tell me what the plan for your team today is, then I'll leave you to your own devices." PJ watched the two men for a moment until he was called away by the workers to help them.

* * *

Hmm, so we finally meet the big time foreman that Uncle Douglas is always talking about. Well, what did you think of the chapter?


	21. Sudden Heat!

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 21 (Sudden Heat)

"You really think I should go?" Teddy asked as she walked with Ivy around the front of Emmett's house. She had her head bowed and was trying desperately not to tear up. Her heart was literally torn in two, she didn't want to have to choose between her brother and her best friend, and it felt like if she made that decision then she would never see one of them again. She lifted her gaze up to Ivy and smiled sadly.

Ivy had a black shawl around her and was gripping the edges, she wrapped it further around her shoulders and sighed. "I'll always be your best friend, Teddy. You know that. No matter what, I will be…and right now, don't you think you need your brother more than you need me? Don't you think he needs you?" She honestly didn't know. It was like there was some sort of mental roadblock. Ivy put her hands onto her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "I will love you as my best friend forever, no matter what, but _please_ don't torture yourself or make yourself unhappy just because of _me_. I'll be fine. You're not going to be happy looking after me, and I'm not going to be happy if _you're_ unhappy."

"But-" Her heart dropped and her sunken eyes began to water. Why did it feel like Ivy was rejecting her, though she wasn't? Ivy took a deep breath and continued to hold her gaze, full of concern.

"I can tell you _need_ your brother. Believe me, I know you well enough to know what you're like when everything crumbles…and it is…" Everything was beyond crumbling, she didn't know who or what to hold onto anymore. She did need her brother, but how much did he need her? She reached up and rubbed her neck. It was hot to the touch, seeming only to cool when she put her fingers to it. "Teddy, PJ _is_ your brother, he's the only family you have left. He's your best friend too, whether you think so or not. You've known him a lot longer than me, you've got a sibling bond thing with him, you're closer to him than you are with me, you have to admit that."

"I guess…" Ivy raised an eyebrow and shot a skeptical look her way. Emitting a nervous chuckle, she smiled halfheartedly and shrugged, Ivy _was_ right about that. Even though she didn't really want to admit it, she was lost without her brother. "Okay, so maybe I am…"

"Right now I am more than thankful for Emmett, I need someone like him in my life. You…you don't need him right now, but you do need your brother. And girl, you _know_ I will always keep in touch with you."

"Even after what happened to-" Ivy waved her hand in the air and Teddy quickly silenced. She watched her friend scrunch her face for a split second, trying to shake away the flashback that was sure to come.

"What happened to my parents…doesn't define…our friendship." She choked on her words, but they came out truthful and meaningful, which delighted Teddy. She was confident that she would always have Ivy as a good friend. "Let's go inside, all right?"

"Yeah…" There was a vanishing feeling in her stomach as she eyed a black car moving up to a stop sign in the distance. She hummed softly and followed Ivy into the house, then to the bedroom. She still wasn't sure what she wanted to do. If she wanted to be here for Ivy, or go to PJ, who was likely waiting for her. "Ivy, you promise we'll still be friends? No matter what?"

"Of course I do, girl." Teddy smiled wholeheartedly and shared a long hug with her. Tears dripped from her eyes as they did Ivy's, she was glad their bond was strong enough to withstand all this drama.

Soon Emmett came rushing into the bedroom, his face spread in panic and concern. Teddy jumped at the door being blown open. She quickly glanced over as he let out a rapid shouting whisper. "Hide! Bob and Amy just drove up! I think they're looking for you." Fear stabbed her like a hot blade and panic spread through her veins. Ivy froze up and fell back onto the bed, whimpering with fear. The three of them were all alone, his parents were out picking little Mason up from daycare! Emmett tensed his muscles and growled as the doorbell rang. "Never mind. Just _stay in here_ and don't move."

"But-"

"Don't move, and keep quiet! There's a window right behind you. If anything goes wrong, _run_." She flinched as he slammed the door shut and clicked the lock. She looked towards the window behind the bed, then to Ivy, who was beginning to hyperventilate. Thinking fast, she moved over to Ivy and put her hand to hers.

"Ivy, it's okay. We're going to be okay…" She didn't _know_ that for a fact, but she had to be positive. Now she was beginning to realize that Denver wasn't safe for her, not at all. She reached for her pocket, but remembered her phone was no longer with her and she hadn't managed to get a new phone anyway.

Ivy met her eyes and started to breathe, still holding on to Teddy's gaze, trusting her. They remained silent and listened to the voices in the other room. "Bob, _please_ don't do anything," Amy begged. Bob groaned and Amy seemed to silence.

"Amy, please go back to the car. You're the lookout remember? That little message, hit send if you see any cops or anyone suspicious."

"I know, but just…I'll go."

"Thank you. Now Emmett, I wanted to know if you have _any_ idea where Teddy is? I think she's still in Denver, and if she's not with Spencer…maybe she's here?"

"I don't know what you're talking about Mr. Duncan," Emmett replied with brave confidence. "I haven't seen Teddy since she was at the police station. The only one here is Ivy."

"Ah Ivy! Maybe she knows where Teddy is…" Teddy's heart began racing and her eyes flicked to the window. She heard a clattering noise, followed by Ivy whimpering. "Emmett, let go of my wrist."

"Ivy's not here either, she's at the cemetery!"

"You have _got_ to be shitting me." Emmett seemed as though he'd do anything to keep Bob from going after the girls, but how long would it last. She ran for the window and started fiddling with the latch, she was going to hurry out if that door began moving at all. Then again, she'd have to convince Ivy to get up and run.

As she turned her gaze to Ivy, her heart stopped. It was dawning on her that here in Denver, not only was _she_ not safe, neither were her friends. Her legs started to shake and her body was about to give out as she took a staggering step forward, reaching a hand out to Ivy. "I-Ivy…I'm so…so sorry…this is all my fault."

"It's not," Ivy whispered. "Don't ever say that, you had no control over this…" The girls flinched at the sound of Bob's bellowing voice. "My cell phone's in my pocket, I'm thinking of calling Deputy Dooley…he's back in town…"

"Call him." She put her hand to her stomach, groaning as a fierce pain shot through her. She thought about PJ for a minute, then suddenly filled with great concern. Something was wrong, but she didn't know what that was. All she knew was her brother needed her, and here she was in Denver, with a madman coming after her. "Oh god no." She whimpered and fell onto the bed with tears staining her face.

In New York, PJ was working hard to drill holes in the cement above him so they could put anchors in to hang up the hangers for the pipe the team was to bring down. Elezar was a few feet away hanging one up, Tim was cutting a few long metal poles with a saw-saw, Tanner and Chad were at the water jug all the way back at the main station. Uncle Douglas was checking on them every once in a while and taking measurements along the floor and the pillars.

It was burning hot outside, so where they were was a tad cooler, yet still very warm. He desperately wanted an air pocket and hadn't had any water in hours. He was putting in all his effort to push up with the hammer drill, the ceiling was almost eight feet, so it was hard for him to push upwards.

His stomach was churning as violently as the sweat that had been pouring down him moments ago. He had was also wearing a heavy face shield, as per regulations for drilling, so it didn't help much. He needed to take a water break, but he was busy trying to occupy his mind with the job, knowing that if he stopped for a second, his mind might wander back to Teddy and the situation in Denver.

The fear that Teddy was in some sort of danger was killing him, but he didn't want to bother his coworkers with personal problems that he could do nothing about. He had no choice but to keep working, despite the immense concern he was feeling, these were the thoughts he was struggling to put away.

He wiped his brow and sighed, dropping the drill onto the ground. His head was aching terribly and his heart was beating very fast. His body stopped sweating just a little bit ago and he was horribly out of breath. "Damn it, I can't get these holes in!" Douglas looked over and started moving towards him.

"PJ, when was the last time you had any water? You _need_ to stay hydrated!"

"It's fine Uncle D."

"No, it is not, go get some water."

"I'm _fine._" PJ grabbed the hammer drill and took a deep breath, struggling to raise it up. His heart was about to tear out of his chest and he could barely lift the drill now. Douglas eyed him with suspicion and put his hands to his hips.

"Duncan, as your boss, I'm _telling_ you to stop and get some water." Behind them, Chad and Tanner were making their way over. PJ started to lower the drill, his vision was starting to fade. He thought he felt a sudden rush of air and let his eyes go towards the sky as his movements began to blur. Someone caught him. "Shit!"

"What's wrong!" Tim exclaimed while rushing over with the other team members.

"Heat stroke! Tim, call the ambulance! Tanner, help me get him out of this area and to a fan. Eleazor, Chad, get some washcloths, we need to cool him down! Hurry the hell up!"

In the office, the head foreman was discussing an employee's misconduct. It was stressful to sit there with everything going on in his mind. "Look Henry, I'm sorry."

"Right now, it's 'sir' or 'Mr. Booth' to you." Henry narrowed his eyes and smacked his hand onto his desk, ruffling the newspapers he'd been reading. "This is the _fourth_ time you've been caught smoking in the project grounds! We have designated smoking areas across the street! Each time, I've attempted to be lenient, more so than I usually am. I've ignored this since I have other things on my plate, but now it's becoming a problem. What are we going to do about this?"

"I don't know…I get a craving for a smoke and I have to have one."

"You _know_ the guidelines and you still break them." He rubbed his forehead and groaned as he moved his eyes to the file on his desk. It was of one of the new employees, PJ Duncan. When he saw him, he thought he looked like the boy on the news, the boy that was his son, but he couldn't possibly believe it. Why and how would his son be _here_ in New York? To top it off, working at a construction site. Not only was he too young, but the boy ought to be getting into _college_.

How could he talk to him though? What would he say? He'd been running the words through his head when he found the file with the name that confirmed his suspicions. After eighteen years, it seemed impossible to believe that he might really get a chance to see his son again.

_"Jasmine, if it's true, god if it's true…"_ He was happy, but scared at the same time. Nothing could prepare him for this, and when he saw his son sitting there in that room, all those age old memories came back. _"Why did we have to lose him? Why us? Why our children? David and April…and you taken from me…but now, here he is right in front of me, and I'm scared…"_

"Sir?" Henry's thoughts vanished and his gaze shot over to the worker before him. "You uh…am I free to go?" He sighed and leaned forward, propping his hands together in front of his chin. He

"You know what? Yes…turn in your things, you're fired."

"W-What?"

"You heard me. Leave, permanently, I don't tolerate people who break the rules…they are there for a reason." Suddenly the door burst open and a worker rushed inside, panting heavily and talking rapidly.

"Sir! One of the new workers…heat stroke…ambulance is on it's way…everyone on the project's trying to cool him off."

"What? Shit!" Instant panic shot through him as he ran from his desk and burst from the office. He had a bad feeling about this. He'd dealt with workers going through this before, but for some reason, this instance was scaring the living shit out of him. "Where is he?"

"They've moved him to the fan just outside the hole and stairs. I think it was one of the Sheet Metal workers." His heart paused and his eyes grew in an instant, PJ was the first person that popped into his mind.

"Fuck no, not again, I'm not losing him this time!" He charged towards the project as fast as he could. He could hear the sirens rushing towards the area. Henry was praying the worker wasn't PJ, hoping that it was not his son. After all these years of trying to distract himself, trying to forget, doing his best to push away the pain of his loss, he had a chance to be happy once again. He was _not_ losing his son this time!

When he arrived at the scene, he paled. Douglas and the rest of the team had cold ice packs and wash cloths underneath PJ's armpits, groin, and around his neck. They were rubbing a wet cloth against his forehead while trying to fan him off. "Bosca! What the _fuck_ happened to my son!"

"W-What?" Douglas looked up, his jaw agape. The other workers flinched, all shocked by what just echoed through the project, but it was only for a second. They immediately returned to trying to cool PJ off. "I-he's…wait, the news…_Henry Booth_, god why didn't I see that!" He smacked his forehead and quickly rose to his feet, clearing his throat. "Henry, he would not get a drink of water, hadn't had one for hours. I think he was just trying to work and distract himself from all the shit going on right now."

"So you let this happen? Are you crazy! For Pete sake, you're his boss! Goddamn it, I knew he was too young to be working out here!" He threw his hand to his hair and started to pace, groaning as his heart began pounding in his chest. "I should have pulled him off the project hours ago! My god!"

Someone groaned and Henry immediately looked to PJ, his eyes were open and his fingers were trembling. The boy's weak eyes were gazing up at him with a mixture of pain, shock, and astonishment. "D-Dad? My father…" Henry knelt beside him and put his hand to PJ's forehead. His free hand he put over his own heart and gazed down at him. As hardened as he'd made himself over the years, he was closer to tears than he'd been since Jasmine passed away.

"I'm right here…son…you know I'm not going anywhere this time. The ambulance is on the way, hang in there…god hang in there…" Where were the monsters that did this to him? Where was that couple that took his children away and caused his wife's life to turn to hell and misery? He wanted to find them and he wanted to tear their throats out.

"Don't be angry with Uncle D, I was just trying to forget…so I overworked…"

"I know." Henry chuckled vainly and brushed back PJ's hair. "I'm the same way. When I lost you, your mother and your sister…god I just…" He was forgetting the workers around him, but he didn't care how they saw him. He liked them thinking he was a hard-ass, but they could see a soft side if it came, and this was one of the first times that happened.

"We can talk later…" PJ moaned and turned his head to the side, groaning as his body trembled with pain. "So hot." Henry quickly looked up at the nearest worker, shouting out an order.

"Where is the ambulance? Go find them and lead the paramedics in here damn it! Scratch that…this is taking too long…" Thinking fast, he ordered Douglas to pick up PJ's feet, then lifted PJ up by the armpits. They started rushing for the exit, hoping to meet the paramedics somewhere in the middle. "Hang in there PJ, hang in there."

"Teddy…" He frowned and glanced down at PJ, curious as to whether or not he was delirious. He then remembered the news report he saw recently, Teddy was the name given to April by her kidnappers.

"Your sister?"

"She's in Denver, her phone's broken. I keep trying to get her to come up here, she needs to be here…and now that I've found you…" His heart began flooding with hope and tears started to come to his eyes. He couldn't believe it, he could truly get his daughter back as well!

"After all these years…"

PJ groaned out and closed his eyes. "She's staying…with a friend, Emmett. In my phone is Deputy Dooley, call him…he'll know what to tell her to get her to come. She needs to come."

"I will. God I will…" He watched his son slowly move his hand to his pocket to pull his phone out. Carefully, he took the phone and pocketed it as they met up with the paramedics, who immediately took PJ from them and placed him onto a stretcher. Henry took a deep breath and ran his hand through his hair, then glanced over to Douglas. "Bosca…"

"Sir?"

"I'm going with them. He's dating your niece, right? You might want to give her a call. The workers are getting the rest of the day off…I have a phone call to make."

"Yes sir." He rushed into the back of the ambulance and sat next to his son, taking his hand and squeezing it gently. There was no way he was letting his son out of his sight, not now.

Ivy and Teddy were frozen in the bedroom closet, they hadn't remembered to flee the window. Bob was now trying to break down the bedroom door and Emmett wasn't making any sound. They were terrified that something bad had happened to him, as well as terrified Bob was going to kill them both.

"Come out, come out girls, I know you're in there! I just want to talk!" Teddy threw her hands to her head and let out a shuddering whimper. She wanted PJ, she wanted her brother, more than anything she needed him. Had she made the right choice to stay back in Denver? She was seriously doubting it.

"Now do you wish you went to New York when you had the chance?" Ivy whispered in a harsh tone. Now was hardly the time, though. Yet, they didn't have an escape plan. "What are we going to do Teddy? I don't want to die. My momma saved me for a reason…"

Suddenly the bedroom door flew open. The girls gasped and backed up further in the clothes. Never before did Teddy think she'd be this close to Emmett's clothing. "Ivy Wentz, I knew I should have double checked your body out there! Now where are you!" Teddy's hands flew to her mouth as tears streamed down her face. Her heart was racing a mile a minute and she was struggling just to move her body.

Suddenly, in what must have been a miracle, Amy was signaling Bob with the horn. Clearly they had designated several signals, as he understood this one very well. "Shit! Cops are coming! Another time…"

When his footsteps descended, the girls slowly fell to their knees, sobbing and praying it was over. While they were hugging each other, the door opened and fear spiked through them for a split second. They saw Emmett standing there, his hand was holding an ice pack to the side of his head. Ivy sobbed and shot out, hugging him tightly. "Oh god you're alive!"

"Yeah. Deputy Dooley just pulled up with a few police cars. Come on…are you guys going to be okay?"

"In time…" Emmett nodded and helped Teddy to her feet. He led them out to the living room where Deputy Dooley was hanging up his cell phone. Teddy looked at him with a soft whimper and slowly moved towards him.

"M-Mr. Dooley…they were here…they were here…"

"I know." She hugged him and started to sob. He hesitated for a second, then gave her a comforting hug in return. "We got a call from Emmett while on the way over here, by the time the units arrived, they were gone…" Had it all happened so fast? Then again, any amount of time could have taken place during the moments after Bob left. "Also received another call from New York…"

"New York?" Teddy's heart clenched and she moved her hands to her chest, she prayed nothing bad had happened to PJ. "W-What's happening there?"

"Well first off…your brother is in the hospital, but he's going to be just fine." She cupped her hand over her mouth and felt Ivy's hand on her shoulder. "He suffered a heat stroke while on the job." What the hell was she still doing in Denver? Now PJ needed her support more than ever! She didn't want to stay here and be a cause for more danger towards Emmett and Ivy.

She looked back to them with a heavy heart and a decision to make. A tear ran along her face and she fought over what was the right choice, even though it seemed obvious. The two friends gave her a brisk nod, almost knowing what she was thinking. "W-Will you two be okay…if I go?"

"They will be just fine, we're going to provide them with police protection from here on out." Teddy looked to Deputy Dooley and swallowed. He closed his eyes and folded his arms across his chest. "Another thing, if you go to New York…well, we need you to submit to a DNA test, both you and PJ. He's found his birth father." Teddy's heart leapt up in her chest and her jaw dropped. She wanted to scream out for excitement, but was too stunned to do so. Now she had no other thought in her mind other than returning. If her birth father was there, then she _had_ to go!

"Seriously? You think…" She shook her head and cleared her throat. "I-I'll go! For PJ and for my real dad." This was almost too good to be true. She thought this day was going to be pure hell when Bob showed up, but now that issue had vanished completely from her mind. She wanted nothing more than to go be with her father and her brother. "Just let me get ready and I'll go when I can…"

"The next flight to New York is tomorrow morning. I'd like to bring you three into the station for guarding in case Bob and Amy try to come back. Is that okay with you?" The trio nodded and instantly followed the officer outside.

Teddy could only smile and fantasize about how it would feel to be with PJ and her father. It was like a dream and she was on cloud nine, eager to finally meet this man. Even more, when she got to New York, she'd not only have to transfer school, but she'd find a therapist to talk to about all of this. Finally, things might be looking up for her. Although it did still suck, just a small bit, that she was the last to find her birth father. Though she did understand, being the last to accept everything.

_This is all real. This is really happening._

Now however, she was willing to accept the reality. No more would she push away those doubts, fears, and wishes, and maybe those nightmares would finally go away.

* * *

Intense! What did you think of everything going on?


	22. Game Changer

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 22 (Game Changer)

PJ stared up at the hospital ceiling with a tiny smile, he was still processing everything that was going on, and was still shocked that his birth father was right there. Right now he wasn't too sure what he wanted to do, he wanted to be close to his real father, and it scared him that he was practically an adult and all those childhood years he could have had were wasted and gone. At least he had the rest of his life, which he so stupidly almost cut it short today.

He was hoping Teddy would come to New York when told about their dad being here. She would be safe here with them. Besides, there were police guarding the room at this very moment, they'd already sampled his DNA and matched it up with his father's. Now that he knew who his dad was, he wasn't sure if he wanted to keep living with Skyler's family, or if he wanted to stay with his dad. When he truly thought about it, he knew Teddy would likely stay with their father and attend her last year and a half of high school, so it might be best for the three of them to stay together.

He looked to his right, Henry was sitting in his chair and gazing down at a photo of someone who looked similar to Teddy. He'd seen the photograph before in news stories. The woman in the photo was his birth mother, she was a very pretty woman in life. If only he was able to see her. Henry started to speak, but with a soft tone rather than harsh. "When you were born…I was working the early morning shift on a site. Our field foreman was a selfish man, so when he was told to tell me my wife was in labor, he waited…it was just another few hours before I was to get off." PJ felt a mournful pressure in his chest as he thought about Henry missing his birth, to never even be able to see or hold your child for eighteen years was unbelievable. "Then when I got off, my boss still never said a word. I drove all the way home, then the _neighbor_ had to tell me my wife went into labor…"

"When was that?"

"Hours later. I rushed for the hospital, trying to get there, but when I did…you were gone and your mother was in tears because the nurses couldn't find her baby." His heart clenched and his fingers closed around the bed sheet. How could those monsters take him while his mom was still _there_? "I vowed not to let that happen when your mom was pregnant with your sister. That time, I managed to be there…I was so happy to be a father, and of course your mom was thrilled. She had to stay overnight and a nurse instructed me to go ahead and go home for the time being…" He moved his eyes towards Henry, wincing at the words. 'A nurse' was likely Amy, if he had to guess. "The next morning…your sister was gone. Now that you're back, I don't want to lose you."

"I know…and today was just…heatstroke on my first day." Henry lifted his head and quickly turned around, glancing at him with serious, yet pleading eyes.

"I don't want you working construction, son. Unless it's what you want to do, or something you have a passion for, don't do it. Maybe…you'd like to move into my house, I do have two guest bedrooms that I can easily turn into main bedrooms. I make enough money and have enough saved up that I can pay for you to go through college if you want. What do you see yourself doing in the future?"

He smiled and his heart danced for joy, this was definitely something he wanted. He'd finally found his birth father, did the DNA test that confirmed it, and now he had the option to be with his dad and go to college. What more could he ask for? He was shocked, everything was happening so fast that he honestly didn't know what to say. "I…I don't know. I love music. I think I could teach people to play the guitar, but I've never really been the _best_ student. I've always kind of been preoccupied with other thoughts and curiosities."

"Like what?"

"Well…for one, that couple…" Most times he was just trying to make heads or tails of who they were or the lies they'd always been telling. His sleuthing was easily the thing that kept him from focusing on his studies. "It's not important now, really."'

"I can help you study. Once your sister comes home, maybe we can all be a family again…" He leaned his head back on the pillow and smiled softly. It was as though his father were being granted another chance to be a father, and he was grateful for that. He didn't know how long he'd want to stay living with him, but if he moved in with the man, he wouldn't want to move out anytime soon

"Yeah. I think I'd like that." If he wasn't so exhausted and stuck in a hospital bed, he'd show more enthusiasm. At least he couldn't wait to tell Skyler. His heart thumped in his chest as he realized Skyler was going to _freak_ when she found out about the heat stroke! "Uh oh…" Henry glanced over with arched eyebrows and a small smile as PJ slowly looked towards him. "You've probably not met my girlfriend. I think you're about to meet her…a hell of a time to do that."

"Well I do know her uncle well enough, and he tells me she's been helping you all the way through this, so she can't be a bad person."

"Right. You'd love her." Once he looked towards the door, his gut instinct was telling him to prepare for something. Within seconds, it flew open and Skyler was rushing into the room, full of worry and concern. "And there she is now!"

"PJ! Oh god!" She hurried to his side and threw her arms around his neck. Behind her, her parents and Uncle walked in, all eager to see that he was okay. "Uncle D said you didn't drink the water like you were supposed to…" She stood up straight, put her hands to her hips and shot him a scolding look, causing him to wince. He knew he was in serious trouble. Her cheeks were swollen and her eyes were misty. "Why didn't you do what he told you when he said to drink the water? You're _supposed_ to stay hydrated!"

"I'm sorry I worried you." She knelt beside him and carefully curled her hand into his. Her right hand moved to his forehead and pushed back through his hair, feeling cool to the touch. He never meant to do anything stupid or to make her worry. He gave her a gentle squeeze and smiled to her. "I love you so much, Sky…"

"I know you're going through hardships, PJ, but you have to think about your health." He wasn't about to argue with her, this was one that he wouldn't possibly win. His eyes shifted over to his father, who was watching him with a knowing smirk.

"That's a good woman you have there, Son." Skyler's cheeks went red and she instantly looked to Henry, as if just now remembering her uncle telling her about PJ's birth father. PJ released her hand and breathed out slowly. He'd been doing everything to not overexert his body now.

"Yeah she is…I don't know where I'd be without her." He lifted his hand and gently caressed her soft cheek. Skyler curled her fingers against his palm, leaning in towards the caress. After a second, she quickly pulled away and pointed towards him.

"Don't think that means you're out of trouble. You're not sweet-talking your way out of this one. I'll let you and your dad talk, though…I know that's way overdue." PJ slowly sat up and propped himself against the headboard.

"I wanted to talk to you about something first. He wants me to move in with him, to go to college and so on." Her eyes lit up and her lips curled into a smile, she knew well enough this was something he wanted for so long. "I wanted to thank you and your family for everything, and well…I want to stay with my dad. I just met him, so you know…"

"I'm really happy for you!" She hugged him tight, albeit too tightly. "What about the construction job, though?" Bowing his head in thought, he lifted his shoulders. On part, he wasn't all that into it, not if he could have something better.

"I don't _need_ that job, so I think I'm going to just focus on getting into college." Either way, it would help his future while also helping him move beyond Bob and Amy. "Once Teddy gets here, I think we can start working on lost time and being a family…" He was not entirely sure when she'd get here, but he was ecstatic that his sister would be coming, and that she definitely was his real sister. It made a lot of sense to him, the bond that they shared. "First thing we're going to need is some counseling though."

"Maybe, but I think it's great you'll get to be together now. I'm glad you won't be doing the construction job, it's dangerous."

"It isn't for everyone," Douglas commented. "You have to have some semblance of a passion for it. I wouldn't recommend you coming back, but I'm not going to actually _fire_ you. It's up to you and Henry. You two have a lot to talk about." PJ met his father's eyes and smiled heartily at him, he just couldn't help but to think it was all a dream. He appreciated Uncle Douglas for everything, and in part, he did have a hand in uniting him with the man that he nearly gave up searching for.

"Yeah we do. Once Teddy gets here, there'll be lots to talk about…" He closed his eyes and chuckled once, thinking of how the man must be feeling. It was hard to imagine, but at the same time, he knew the man must have gone through so much torture. "I guess…eighteen years later, you'll be taking me home from the hospital, huh."

"Yeah." Henry laughed once and smiled at him. "Yeah, it's a miracle….I can't say I ever believed in miracles. If only your mother were here today…" As the man bowed his head, PJ studied him. He was impressed with the broad shoulders, the strong jaw and big arms years in development. If he was anything like his father, then he knew his father was a man who would have hardened himself over time. This was a game changer for him, it had to be.

Was it likely Henry wouldn't know what to do? What to say? Was this moment as scary for him as it was for PJ? He decided that if his father would be there for him and for Teddy, then they would be there for him.

Henry began to tremble as he looked down at the photograph of Jasmine. Surely he was thinking of the monsters that he'd blamed for her death, the couple that took their children so long ago. "Nearly nineteen years…if I hadn't been held up at work that night, if I had questioned the nurse when my daughter was born, would things have been different? I've asked these questions for so long…I've pushed everything away, then you and your sister are all over the news. Of course I'd be shaken up…I never thought for an instant…you'd show up right at my door." He slowly looked up towards Douglas, staring for a moment. "Bosca…"

"Yes sir?" Douglas asked, raising up his eyebrows.

"I wanted to find a way to thank you…for bringing my son to me." Henry slowly rose to his feet, clearing his throat. "I want to give you a promotion, if you'll take it." Douglas's eyes widened and PJ thought the man was going to pass out on the spot!

"I-I didn't even know he was your son, to be honest. Hell, if I knew, I probably would have told you and _not_ let him on the site."

"I'm aware. It's worth it though…more than you'd ever know…to have my son back home." PJ moved his eyes towards the door and smirked to himself. He wasn't _quite_ 'home' yet, but close enough. He wouldn't be making the same mistake again that got him in the hospital in the first place, that was for sure.

What would Bob and Amy do now? Now that all the children were finding their real parents? It was good to think about, how _finally_ there would be justice. He couldn't wait to see Teddy again, and maybe one day he'd see Gabe too. He still worried about Charlie, but didn't have a whole lot of ideas on what to do there.

That vile couple, they could run all they like, but with Mr. Dooley on the case, they couldn't hide forever.

* * *

This was a great chapter, so let me know your thoughts on this emotional reunion between father and son.


	23. Growing Up

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 23 (Growing Up)

Teddy felt Deputy Dooley's strong hand upon her shoulder. She gazed up at him with a vague smile, then towards the cemetery entrance, pushing her hair back as the wind blew against her. Beside her, Ivy and Emmett stood, here to support her. She wanted to see her mother's grave before leaving and had ample time, considering the plane would leave in a few hours. "I wish I would have known, but I don't know if knowing would have changed anything…" She did feel lost, but at the same time, she felt like things would finally begin coming together. What would she say, though? As she spoke to her mother, even though it would be through spiritual means, would she really feel anything?

Ivy often said she still felt her mom speaking to her at nights when she would find herself crying, scared, and alone. Maybe she'd feel that presence too, but maybe not. Her chest quaked and her eyes watered as she took a slight step forward. "It's not fair…that she's gone, and I never once knew her. It's not fair, PJ found our father before I did…" Deputy Dooley smiled at her and lowered his arm down.

"If it's any consolation, your brother stayed at the hospital overnight. Mr. Booth is going to take you both home together." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled slightly. Her smile faded as she gazed at the tombstones ahead of her. Breathing in, she started moving. The others stayed behind, as per request. She wanted to do this alone. Of course, it was a great thing they were there for moral support.

After walking down the paths of the long deceased within the city's oldest cemetery, she finally came to her mother's grave. She was in the intersection of a 'T' gravel path, and directly in front of her was a statue of a woman kneeling over and praying above a small baby. Before the statue was a grave marker inscribed _Jasmine Booth. April 23, 1961-January 5, 2000_. _Loving woman, wife, and friend. She sings with the angels. _

Teddy trembled and fell to her knees, then hunched forward and pushed her hands into the dirt on either side of the rectangular marker. Tears dripped down her nose and started to fall towards the ground. "Mom…"

The air was as still as her aching heart. She was just going to let her heart speak for her, since she couldn't find the words. Choking out a sob, she clenched her eyes shut and started to speak. "I don't have long…I'm going to New York soon. My brother's found our birth father…I'm sorry." She leaned down further, practically bowing against the grave. Her hair shrouded her face and stuck to the tear stained cheeks. "I'm sorry it took so long, I'm sorry that those monsters kept me, kept PJ, from you. I wish I had known you, I wish I had that opportunity, that chance…but I don't."

She continued to weep, sweeping her hair from her face and gazing up at the angel statue in front of her. "If I had known you. Would you be proud of who I am? Who would I even be? I hate them…I hate them so much, the ones who took me away from you…What kind of family would we even be if they never came around? How…How am I supposed to deal with this? It isn't _fair!_ It isn't _right!_ This doesn't happen to people like me, it happens to other people…not us." She clenched the grass and dirt within her fingers and bowed her head back down. Her stomach lurched and tears dropped onto the grave inscription. "Why?" Her voice came out meek and with a whimper. Where were the answers she needed, that she wanted? "Why does it have to be like this?"

"It's never easy…" A velvety soft tone entered into her ears as a gust of wind practically blew her from her stance. Her lip trembled as she looked up. Unsure if she was hallucinating, Teddy did a double take. Before her was a mature looking woman with long golden hair feathering out midway down her arms. She had soft blue eyes and a glow that wrapped her body. She wore a long white dress that appeared to be constantly flowing at her heels. Teddy's eyes widened as the woman knelt down and gently rested her hand beneath her chin. "Don't be afraid…"

"Mom? But…" She blinked and shook her head, but her mother's spirit remained there. "How…"

"You've really grown into a remarkable woman. I'm glad that Henry will be able to have you and your brother back. I couldn't be prouder of the beautiful, strong woman you've become."

"Strong?" She scoffed and moved her head to the side, she didn't want to believe she was strong. How could she be, after all she'd just gone through? "I'm not strong…PJ, now he's strong. Gabe's strong, but I…I'm not…"

"You're stronger than you think." Teddy whimpered as Jasmine moved her hand towards her chest. She felt a pulse of energy over her heart and brought her hand up, cupping it over her chest. "You got out of there, you've survived this long, and you're making the decision to go to New York. You could…let it destroy you, but this hasn't destroyed you. You're going to be just fine, and I promise you, things will get easier for you. Better…as long as you let your heart lead you. I am very proud of you, I always have been, I always will be. Though we never knew each other in life…I knew you in my heart, and I loved you from the day you were born. I never gave up hope that you or your brother were still out there…"

"Then why? Why did you kill yourself?" Jasmine closed her eyes and frowned.

"As you know, when you get close to the truth, things go wrong…Bob and Amy will be caught, sweetheart. You can live your life with your brother and your father. I believe in you, and I'll always be watching over you." Teddy's heart started to rise, she moved to her feet and watched her mom stand. A new feeling washed over her, it was as though she believed her mother's words. She was strong, she could face anything, and this was something she could get past. "It will take some time to heal, I know, but you can do it. Please, be happy…I love you."

"I…I love you too…" A tear ran along her cheek as she reached for her mom, wanting to feel the woman's hug, but forgetting she was just a spirit. Her mother moved her arms through her, filling her with the warmth of a mother's hug. "Mom. Don't leave me…"

"Never. I'll always be in your heart, a part of you. If you ever need me, just call my name and I'll be right there…Beside you…" Teddy sniffed as Jasmine started to walk backwards, slowly fading away. Like the statue in front of her, she brought her hands to her chest and bowed her head, letting her silent tears drip from her chin.

"I love you…mommy…" In her heart, she felt something powerful. Maybe Jasmine was right, maybe she was stronger than she believed. Maybe, just maybe, it was time for her to grow up and stop running away. She wiped her eyes with her thumb and looked down at her mom's grave. "I'm ready to move on…I won't let this beat me. Thank you, Mom…"

Hours later, Teddy was sitting in the terminal where people were lined up to board the plane. All of her luggage had been put into baggage and she had her purse, along with a couple packs for carry on. She'd been given a new phone, finally, that she could contact PJ with once in the air. They were going to meet her somewhere at the airport in New York.

"This is where we part," Ivy said while hugging her close. Ivy hadn't been able to stop the waterworks the entire way there, and she _still_ was going on. As much as Teddy didn't want to leave her, she had to do this. "Call me when you get there! Don't ever forget me."

"I won't forget you, Ivy." She hugged Ivy and turned her gaze to Emmett, smiling appreciatively. "Thank you for everything you've done, Emmett." He smiled back and rubbed his neck. She hoped he wouldn't be so stressed out or exhausted any longer, and at least he'd be _safe_. "You'll take care of her, won't you?" His face grew serious and he lowered his arms, nodding briskly.

"Of course I will." He put his arm around Ivy's waist and she rested her head upon his shoulder. Teddy put her hand to her chest and grinned at the two, this was one of the most wonderful sights she'd seen in a long time. She couldn't be happier for the two of them, being there for each other, just like PJ and Skyler. It made her think of Spencer for the moment, but she knew it was for the best that she not see him again. He would never be there for him, she knew that much, and she wasn't fool enough to be swayed back into that mess. She never should have gotten back with him in the first place.

"I hope I find someone someday…who will be there for me. Like you two, like PJ and Skyler, Gabe and Jo."

Ivy hugged her once more and rested her hands on her arms. "You'll find someone, don't worry. Just be patient. Right now, the most important thing should be your brother and your father." Teddy smiled and slowly nodded her head, glancing back at the terminal. Her friends were right, she didn't have time to worry about relationships right now, she only wanted to be with PJ and her father. "Teddy, we love you, you know that?"

"I know. I'll call you when I get there." She hugged both of them and sighed as the stewardess called to accept tickets. She picked up her carry-on luggage and closed her eyes. This was a big step, perhaps the biggest of her life. "I'm looking forward to this…goodbye Ivy, Emmett, for now."

"For now."

As she turned around and moved into the line, she heard someone calling out her name. She stiffened and glanced back over her shoulder, seeing Spencer rushing towards her. Her heart clenched and her fists tightened around the handles of her luggage. "Wait!" He called out. "Teddy, wait!"

Ivy flattened her gaze and crossed her arms. "Want me to deal with him? I will…I'll kick him right out of the airport." Teddy's lips thinned and she slowly shook her head, she needed to do this herself. As Spencer came running up to her and started to hug her, she stepped back and stared at him with a silent glare

"Spencer. What are you doing here? I'm about to leave to New York…You're not going to stop me from going. My brother needs me, my _real_ father needs me." Spencer panted heavily and quickly nodded his head.

"I know, and I won't stop you. I just…I've been thinking about what an ass I've been to you." She frowned and shifted her eyes towards the stewardess at the terminal. The line was slowly growing shorter, she was not missing her flight. "I'm sorry Teddy. I know I shouldn't have been such a coward, such a…I don't know…" She believed Skyler and Jo coined the term 'flake', it seemed to fit nicely in this moment for him. "Please forgive me, Teddy. I know I love you."

"Love?" She leaned back and raised an eyebrow. What was love, really? She knew what it was and saw it in Skyler, Jo, Emmett, but where was it in him? "Spencer…I can forgive you." He started to smile, but she only retained her frown and started to turn towards the stewardess. "But I won't take you back, no matter what." His shoulders slumped and his jaw dropped. Ivy and Emmett both gave her a proud look as she straightened her body.

"What? But why? I mean…I can change! I can be better?"

"I thought that, that's why I gave you a second chance after you cheated on me, but Spencer…during my lowest point, you weren't there for me." She tried not to be angry, and her voice was still remaining calm as possible, but it was difficult. She turned to him and breathed out very slowly. "I _needed_ you, I needed _someone_. I needed you. PJ had Skyler, Gabe had Jo, Ivy has Emmett…but you know something I realized, Spencer?"

"W-What?"

"The one person that's always been there for me, and I for them, throughout my entire life…is my brother. My real, true blood brother. Right now, I need to be with my family. As for a relationship, now's just not the right time, and I need someone…mature. Someone who can handle the responsibility that comes with having a relationship. You…you're not that person, I'm sorry."

"So…So what are you saying?" She smiled sadly at him and lifted her hand to his cheek, gazing wistfully into his misty eyes. He started to choke up once the stewardess called for her. The line was gone and they were waiting for her. She closed her eyes and tore away from him.

"I'm saying goodbye. For good, Spencer. Maybe you can change one day, but right now…I need someone I can rely on in my life, and that person isn't you. I'm sorry…goodbye."

"But-" Ivy and Emmett put their hand on his shoulders. Teddy watched him wince and began walking towards the terminal. Silently, she handed the ticket to the stewardess and walked aboard the plane without looking back. Once at her seat, with her luggage up in the compartment, she gazed out the window and let a tear fall from her eyes. She would miss him, sure, but it was for the best. She had to be strong.

"It's time to move on, right mom?" She imagined her mother sitting beside her, her hand upon hers, and a kindred smile on her face. She closed her eyes and leaned back, her heart soothed and she began to drift into slumber. This was the first day of the rest of her life, and she wasn't going to mess it up with making poor choices. "Just a few more hours…"

* * *

So, tell me, what did you think of her conversation with her mother, and then with Spencer? Teddy's really maturing.

By the way, did you notice anything Jasmine said that might have clicked with you? Something that didn't seem...right?


	24. What Really Happened to Jazzy!

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 24 (What Really Happened to Jazzy)

As Deputy Dooley drove from the airport, he had an ever-widening, proud grin on his face. All three children were now safely where they belong, but sadly Charlie was still out there. He didn't know what he was going to do for her, it would truly be heartbreaking to see the young girl going through foster care. Already he'd been informed by Diane that she wasn't able to take Charlie in, and Petunia said she was getting far too old to take care of another growing baby. Things were looking bleak for the innocent child.

"First things first," he muttered with a low, southern drawl. On occasions his southern accent would come out, it was a very deep and almost commanding accent, unlike most southerners and nothing like his beautiful wife. He'd sent Debbie and his daughter on vacation, due to all those investigating possibly being at risk for Bob coming after them or their families. He narrowed his gaze and turned his eyes towards the cemetery, thinking on the young mother that lost her life and her babies. "We'll find the ones who did this. Mark my words…I'm not resting until I've taken them out."

His phone chimed out and he quickly answered. In this career field, he needed to be fast, since the criminal could start getting away at any moment. "Sir, we just got a anonymous voice message that you need to hear. We're going to play it back for you…" He parked before a red light, the intersection of Cooper Street and Wallace Avenue. He was about to say something, but stopped once the message was being played back for him, and when he listened, his eyes went large.

_"I used to be a nurse at St. Francis, I have information that can help your case. I was told that my family would be hunted down if I ever came forward, but I need to come forward if you'll give me protection…I need to speak with Deputy Dooley on the corner of Grant and Xeno Street at eleven…I know what really happened to Jasmine Booth. She was pushed."_

His heart exploded in his chest and the phone slipped down into his lap while he stared in shock at the streetlight. Once he came to, the car behind him was slamming their horn.

_Jasmine Booth was pushed?_

Instantly he flipped on his sirens and took a sharp left, speeding down the road. It was almost eleven as it was, the location the woman left was not far from him. He needed to hear this bit of information, no matter what.

Once at the location, he saw a woman sitting on a bus bench. She had a brown cloak wrapped around her and was looking from left to right, she was the only person around. He stepped out of the car and cleared his throat, immediately catching her attention. "Are you the one who called the station?" She nodded and he pointed towards the car. "Get in and let's talk, I need to hear what you have to say."

"Thank you sir, and by the way…it's Karen." He lifted his eyebrows as Karen rose up and moved into the car. Didn't they already _have_ a statement from her? "I figured since I was already questioned, I needed to come forward with this, screw being afraid. Most of my relatives are gone, either passed on or living somewhere where Bob can't find them. I'm not worried if anyone comes after me…"

"It's okay, we'll still offer you protection." He moved into the car and started driving with her in the passenger seat. She gazed out the window with a frown. "You said Mrs. Booth was pushed?"

"Yes. I saw everything…I doubt even Amy knows, to be honest." His head jumped back in surprise and he quickly glanced over. Karen removed a tape recorder from her pocket and set it down, hitting the record button. "You can use this as my testimony…January 5, 2000, Bob Duncan pushed Jasmine Booth from the top of St. Francis Medical Center."

_Nurse Karen leaned against the counter, listening to the droning sounds of heart monitors and closed her eyes. It was just another boring, uneventful day. Sure it was a good thing, not much was going wrong, and almost everyone was at home. _

_ She glanced to the right, towards a mental ward. Recently a woman interred herself there, suffering from great depression and anxiety. She didn't seem crazy, rather she appeared to be looking for something, but what, she didn't know. The woman listed her name as Jasmine Booth, she said she was going to find out what happened to her babies, even if it killed her. Apparently she wanted to wait for one of the nurses to arrive, Amy, and then she'd question her about something. Well, Amy wasn't working today, so Jasmine needed to wait. _

_ Someone had gone in to visit her over an hour ago, so Karen thought he left. He was a relatively large built man with a receeding hairline and a beer gut. He looked like Amy's husband, but she hadn't really paid any attention. _

_ A cold feeling swept over her as she eyed those doors, something just didn't feel right, but she couldn't put a finger on it. The doors opened and she saw Jasmine with her head bowed. She had her hands behind her waist. She was wearing the typical polka-dotted hospital gown, and seemed to be in distress. She was being led away by someone who looked to be one of the doctors. He had a doctor's lab coat, a dress shirt and slacks, a facemask and hair net. The doctor stopped in front of her and looked towards her, he had a very chilling expression in his eyes, and it scared her. "The patient's being transferred, nurse." _

_ "Yes sir." She watched them walk away, suspicious at the scene. So far, this was the most eventful thing happening all day. She didn't know who the doctor was, or if he was even one of their doctors. So on her gut instinct, she followed, even though everything in her was telling her to remain at her position. _

_ She tailed the two all the way to the rooftop and hid behind a nearby wall. Her heart was pounding and her body trembling, she hated heights more than anything else in the world. Why on earth would a doctor bring a patient up here? She carefully poked her head around the wall and gasped at the sight, it was no doctor, it was Bob Duncan! He had removed his mask and hairnet, and was holding Jasmine on the edge. _

_ "You wanted to know the price," Bob said with a low scowl. "You shouldn't have bothered investigating…you should have just minded your own damn business. I will _not_ go to jail because of you."_

_ "You're a monster!" Jasmine exclaimed, tears in her eyes. "A demon! I should have known Amy was getting mixed with the wrong person. I should have said something…does she even know what you're doing right now?" Bob laughed evilly and shook his head._

_ "Of course not, I'm not going to ruin what I have with her by letting her know your blood is on _my_ hands…You're going to jump, Jasmine. You're going to jump to your death." _

_ "No!" Jasmine whirled around, glaring at him. "Why did you take my children? I know you have my babies, and once I tell Henry, you're done!" Bob rolled his eyes and pulled a gun out, pointing it to her face. She gasped and stepped back, yelling as she stumbled on the edge and caught herself._

_ "You can either jump, or I shoot you. Which is it going to be Jazzy? I'd rather not have my wife and children hating me, and I'd rather not be caught by the police." _

_ "Y-You're a monster…" Jasmine whimpered and fell to her knees, weeping bitterly. "You took my babies!"_

_ "What of it?"_

_ "You're a monster!" Seemingly with some new strength, Jasmine rose and grabbed Bob's wrist. She was screaming, tears were flying as her hair swirled around her body. Bob struggled with her and fired two shots into the air. "I don't want to die, I just want to know why you took them! I want my babies back!" _

_ "Shut…up…" Bob stepped back, trying to tear his gun from her hold. With one powerful blow, he slammed his hand against Jasmine's face. She spun around and put her hand to her cheek, still sobbing uncontrollably. He growled and pointed his gun to her back, breathing heavily as he seemed to contemplate his next move. "Yeah, we took them…but only because you're a worthless bitch." He lowered his gun, then shoved his hands into her back, throwing her forward off the roof._

_ Karen put her hand to her chest, frozen in shock. She had to go to the police! She had to do something! Before she could move towards the door, the man was in front of her. She whimpered as his deadly eyes bore into her and the nose of his gun pressed against her temple. "You…I know you, Amy's boss…"_

_ "P-Please don't, sir…Please…"_

_ "I'll let you live, but remember this. If you _ever_ tell _anyone_ what happened here, I'll hunt you and your loved ones down. Each and every one of them…boom, dead…" Her heart slammed into her chest and she fell to her knees, whimpering as Bob slowly walked off. He fired one last shot past her head, causing her to jump and sob. _

"That woman didn't need to be there. When she went into that mental ward, she had determination in her eyes. A fight, a flickering flame that never stopped, but when she was led out by Bob…that was gone. Filled only with dread and hopelessness…like a part of her was already dead."

Deputy Dooley was shocked beyond words, unable to process everything he'd just been told. He had to slowly absorb it all. "So Bob Duncan pushed her from the rooftop? Then threatened you if you talked?"

"Yes." How could this be? He didn't question her story so much as he questioned how Bob could have simply slipped in and out without much notice? Then, if he recalled, every witness pulled gave the same story that they didn't know anything besides the missing receptionist and Jasmine sneaking out. Of course, the police only questioned one or two.

"There's something I don't understand. How did he get in? What verifies the witness stories? Why don't they connect to him?" Karen took a deep breath and started to close her eyes.

"I think Dr. Singh had something to do with it. I'm not sure, but I'm only saying that because if Bob could slip in and out so easily…it would have been under Singh's watch." Dr. Singh? He tapped his chin and narrowed his eyes, he recalled the doctor well. He delivered Charlie, but also Dee. Hell, he was the doctor that delivered Nicole's children! He growled and narrowed his eyes, he _hated_ being deceived! What did he have to do with this, though? "Sir, Dr. Singh and Bob Duncan…I know they're old friends. High school friends, even." His eyes widened, instantly his mind clicked. It made sense now, assuming the man had something to do with all of this. "He wasn't kind to his wife, I know this, but she probably knows everything…I wouldn't be surprised. I wouldn't be surprised if he knows where Bob and Amy are." She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Deputy? Will you ensure I'll be protected?"

"You will be," he answered gruffly and gazed out at the road. "I hope you realize, you just turned twelve year old suicide into a homicide investigation." He needed to confirm there was reason to investigate Dr. Singh. Based off Karen's statement, there could be enough, but he needed to find one of the prior witnesses.

The star witness was a man named Ralph Lee, he was one of the patients there on the day of Jasmine's murder. As the officer was led in by the frail Asian man in his early fifties, he took note of all the various Asian artifacts that adorned the walls. "I'm a collector," Ralph explained while leading him to the couch. "Can I interest you in some herbal tea? I don't have coffee."

"I'm fine, thank you." He took a seat on the couch and leaned back as Ralph sat in a nearby wicker chair. Ralph leaned forward and pressed his fingertips together. "I'm sorry to trouble you-"

"No trouble officer. I'm happy to help."

"I appreciate that…Do you remember this woman?" He pushed a photo onto the coffee table and Ralph eyed it carefully. The man's brow creased and a wrinkle formed between his eyes.

"Yeah…Jasmine Booth. Died twelve years ago, right?"

"Yes. You were the main witness, if I recall…" Ralph winced and rubbed his neck. It wasn't a heavy burden, and besides, Karen was the main witness now. If there was one at all. He rubbed his knees and let out a small sigh. "Now I read your statement in the files, but another witness's statement appears to clash with yours."

"I was in the nuthouse back then, sir." Ralph waved his hand in the air and shook his hand. "With all due respect, you officers were too easily swayed by the suicide story. That, and, you relied mainly on the accounts that the nurses at the time were giving you…statements they _had_ to give." Deputy Dooley raised an eyebrow and tilted his head towards the right. "Not all of us were nuts, that's why my statement was used. Yet, I can guarantee a certain _doctor_ persuaded my story to be 'delusional'."

"Why?"

"Simple...twelve years ago I had been coming off of a drug addiction." Ralph reached to the center of the coffee table and lifted a small pot of tea from a glass plate with two large glasses. As he poured his drink, the deputy began wondering about all the things that were likely missed or ignored by prior detectives. "I was seen as hallucinating and coming up with various delusions. I knew then the difference between what was real and what wasn't."

"Right…"

"Back then…" Ralph sipped his tea and leaned back, sighing contentedly and closing his eyes. "I could tell the screams were real."

"What screams?"

"The screams that came from Jasmine's room of course." The Deputy's heart clenched and he slowly closed his fingers into his palm. He wasn't sure he wanted to hear anymore, but he needed to. "People called her depressive, hormonal, _insane_, but she wasn't. That woman was smart, she knew what she wanted, and she wanted her children…Nurse Amy wasn't there that day though. We all knew Jasmine had no business being there, but we couldn't convince her to leave. By the time anyone could have done much of anything, they came in."

"Who?"

"Why Dr. Singh and another man, of course." Deputy Dooley tapped his chin with the end of his pen. He could only think of one person it could be. He removed a photo of Bob and set it in front of Ralph. His answer came in a gasp and wide-growing eyes. "That's him! The other man that went into her room. Dr. Singh told the nurses they had to have a talk with her, as she was being unruly. For an hour…she screamed and cried, fighting them. Whatever they were doing to her in there, the nurses ignored it. All of us in the ward constantly tried to get the nurses to help, but we couldn't do anything. We tried to break into her room to help her, but her door was locked…we tried to get outside to get Nurse Karen, but the receptionist wasn't letting anyone out."

"Jesus…" The Deputy felt his heart burst into flames, his stomach churned and twisted inside and bile began rising up his throat. He didn't understand how anyone could be so vile. There was no way of knowing what happened, if Jasmine was beaten, or worse. It didn't matter though, something serious had taken place and no one acted, it was only that many peopled that could lose their medical license. "What else can you remember?"

"You'll actually use my statement?"

"Yes. This is a homicide investigation now, we have to take it seriously…" Ralph started to rub his forehead and closed his eyes, groaning inwardly as he furrowed his brow. He was obviously recalling the painful events.

"I wanted to forget that hellhole. Dr. Singh was like fucking Josef Mengele of the holocaust." Really? He couldn't understand that, but then, he hadn't dealt with the man. "Whenever they finished whatever it was in there, Dr. Singh came out and informed the receptionist to 'take a hike'. He then proceeded to start drugging everybody while that man led Jasmine away…I'll never forget that woman's face…it was like staring into the eyes of a soulless puppet. Much different than the fire that was in there when she came in…" Ralph bowed his head and raised his hand up, flicking a stray tear from his cheek. "She should never have been there."

"Thank you for your help, Mr. Lee…" He clenched his teeth and narrowed his eyes. Now he knew how the story slipped through the cracks, the doctor drugged all the patients! This would have made them appear even more delusional and would have pushed investigators away from the truth. Now that time had passed, the truth could come out.

"I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help you solve this…"

"Thank you for your cooperation." Now he had to deal with Dr. Singh, who was now someone he really didn't want to mess with.

Arriving at the doctor's home, he wasn't quite as prepared as he ought to be. He was unable to attain a warrant to search the place or arrest the doctor right away. The search he could get within hours, the arrest warrant perhaps later.

After knocking on the door, the doctor opened it and stared at him with a surprised gaze. The deputy heard a door open and close in the back of the house and looked in, but the Doctor blocked his view in the doorway. "Deputy Dooley, what brings you to my home?"

"I have a few questions, if you don't mind."

"Pertaining to?" Dr. Singh tilted his head to the right and let his lips curl into a slight smirk.

"Uh…I have a couple questions about a patient in a mental ward you supervised twelve years ago. Jasmine Booth. I would also like to ask a few questions about your relationship to Bob and Amy Duncan."

"The Duncan's? No, I wouldn't know anything about them. Haven't seen them since their last baby was born." He heard the sound of a young child calling out in protest, as if she didn't want to do something. Deputy Dooley glanced up and Dr. Singh waved it off. "Don't worry about that, it's just one of my kids. Probably arguing with her siblings."

"Right…You wouldn't mind if I had a look around, would you?" The doctor hummed and started rubbing his chin.

"Actually…" His tone was not friendly, which told him he'd have to return with a warrant. "Do you have a warrant?"

"Not yet. I can be back with one in no time."

"Then if you honestly need to search my house, do that when you get the warrant. Until then, I don't have anything for you."

The next few minutes were uneventful, but for the most part Dr. Singh was not being persuaded to answer any questions or to let him inside. He returned to his own car, muttering softly as he realized he'd have to now go back and get a warrant.

When he looked up from the driver's seat, he saw the man's garage door opening up. In the back of Singh's car looked to be a head with a blond curl. His heart skipped a beat as the man sped out of the drive. _"Charlie?" _The Doctor flipped him off and the chase began.

He gripped the steering wheel tightly and sped after him, lights flashing and sirens blaring. He grabbed the CB radio and called in the car. "All units come in, I'm in hot pursuit of the suspect driving a black Cadillac, plate number 13DNSJ." He moved his eyes towards the street that Singh was turning on. "Heading down Timble Parkway towards I-30. I need all units on this _now_. Possible child in the backseat. Suspect is Rupert Singh."

The chase continued onto the freeway for several minutes, and already there were at least six police cruisers that joined the chase. Eventually Singh pulled off the freeway and into a dead end alleyway. The cops parked in front of the alley, blocking the exit, and the Deputy bolted from his car. He reached over his rooftop and aimed at the car, as did several other officers.

Singh was parked with his headlights facing them, he had a smirking scowl upon his face and narrow eyes. "Come out with your hands behind your head!" Deputy Dooley called out. Four officers started to slowly make their way towards the car, guns drawn.

Singh frowned and pulled out his cell phone, dialing a number. The Deputy's phone rang and he answered it, keeping his eyes locked onto the doctor. "Hello Deputy. You have a few questions for me?"

"We can do this in the station." He flipped the phone on speaker and a nearby officer began recording the call. Singh laughed and shook his head.

"I see you're recording this. Fine…do what you want, I don't care…I have nothing. Yes I took Jasmine Booth into our care twelve years ago, and yes I met with Bob Duncan. I drugged the patients so they wouldn't tell the police what really happened…you asking about that woman means you must know something…right?"

"Yes. A witness came forward. If you come out of your car we can discuss this-"

"I'm not leaving my car!" Singh smacked his steering wheel and the deputy stared off at him with narrow eyes. "You're not going to force me out either, so you might as well call off your buzzards." Singh looked out the window at the several officers surrounding his car. He breathed in deeply and closed his eyes. Sweat dripped down the man's nose and his breathing started to grow labored. "Did you want to ask me about my history with Bob?"

"Yes."

"I knew him in our senior year of high school. We did acid together, and a little LSD. Some of that same shit I used on the patients twelve years ago after Bob finished up with Jasmine. He destroyed her spirit, Deputy. He destroyed her spirit and took her to the roof." Deputy Dooley's stomach started to churn once more as he imagined the men's attack on the woman. He wanted so badly to order his officers to shoot Singh right now, but it wouldn't be appropriate. "You know what? I still associate with him."

"Okay…"

"You fell for my trick." He watched as the doctor reached back and grabbed something from the backseat. His eyes widened when he realized the thing he saw had just been an oversized doll! "Bob and Amy were staying at my place. I had to let them flee before you came back with a warrant, but I needed to distract you first. My apologies, Deputy…"

"You-you honestly-" Singh started protesting as one of the officers grabbed the door handle.

"Don't do that! I'm warning you, don't open that door! Get back." The officer pulled the handle back and Deputy Dooley heard something click. He narrowed his eyes and felt his heart stop when he saw the doctor lift a small cylindrical device, his thumb was pressing down on a button.

"No…No!" In an instant the car exploded. Deputy Dooley ducked down and threw his hands over his head, cussing loudly as he heard the screams and flesh tearing sounds from his officers. "Damn it!" Once the explosion cleared away, he jumped up and stared at the car, going at full blaze. Dr. Singh's charred body was hunched over his dash, with part of his body lying through the windshield on the hood of the car. His arms had been split apart from the upper torso, and his head was twisted in a full circle.

The Deputy trembled and started to fall to his knees as several of the surviving officers ran for the small group that had been around the car. Their bodies were splattered all across the alley. The man had just sent his men to death, even more casualties because of Bob! His throat clenched and his hands fell upon the ground. Anger flooded him as he stared to pound the pavement, pissed that this had not only occurred, but Bob was _still _out there, and _still_ one step ahead of him. "Shit!"

* * *

Holy hell...Bob's the monster now isn't he...now you know. What did you think of the rooftop scene? What did you think of Singh's trick and exit? You can almost feel Deputy Dooley's frustration. So _damn close_.


	25. Filling the Void

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 25 (Filling the Void)

Teddy stepped out of the airport, glancing around with an anxious and eager heart, she'd never been in New York before. She was a bit terrified by the amount of people she'd been running into. She knew there really wasn't anything to fear, but she couldn't help to be beside herself with worry. She was, after all, in a big place with nobody around that she recognized. Of course, she'd been here for about twenty minutes now.

In her hands, besides all her luggage, was a travel brochure. She was at the _LaGuardia Airport_, and she was pretty sure her father had to drive out from Queens, New York. Apparently he was wealthy, and most wealthy people either lived within Manhattan townhomes, or in homes outside of New York, New York. He had a mansion. "Okay," she said aloud, but to no one in particular. Her voice shook nervously as she eyed the cars bustling in and out of the pick-up lane. Many were taxis, and some were normal cars. "I'm all alone, in a _huge_ place, and I'm _not_ enjoying myself." Funny thing was, Skyler wanted to take her on a tour of Manhattan, and even show her the Statue of Liberty. It all seemed fun, but by that same respect, she wasn't sure she was _ready_ to do that.

"There she is!" A woman's voice called from the left.

Instantly she looked over and saw Skyler beside her mother, waving in the air. "Teddy!" Her heart jumped as Skyler ran to her and hugged her. She was expecting PJ and her father, but this was _still_ a grade A plus for her right now. Any familiar face could quell the unsettling nervousness in here. Skyler stepped back, keeping her hands on Teddy's arms and smiling at her. "So Teddy, what do you think so far?"

"So far? I _just_ got here, and already I'm wanting to fly to a remote island where there are no people around besides myself." She chuckled nervously and Skyler laughed. What was so funny about her plight? She honestly wasn't sure how she'd get used to this. Maybe, though, with PJ and her real father, as well as Skyler and her family, she could deal with it.

"Don't worry, that's _normal_ at first. I felt that way too, you'll get used to it!"

"Hopefully." She looked over as Skyler's uncle and mother came to help with her luggage. She watched them move towards a blue minivan and started feeling a bit concerned that PJ wasn't here. "Where's my brother?" Was he still in the hospital? Was he okay?

"He and Mr. Booth got stuck in traffic. We were a little faster than them at getting out of the house and over here. Anyway, Mr. Booth didn't want to spoil anything, but I can tell you…he lives on 71st avenue in Queens New York, has a beautiful three bedroom house, and it's right in the middle of everything!" She raised an eyebrow as Skyler stretched her arms out and bounced once, already bubbly as she remembered. A warm smile stretched across her face as her old friend laughed, cheering her up and letting her forget some of the past few days. "You're right next to Francis Lewis High School. Believe me when I say it's one of the _best_ schools you can go to, I've been there! Now it's also right near St. John University, a nice college where PJ and I are going to go once college starts!"

"PJ gets to go to college?"

"Yes. I know it's a roman catholic college, but you don't have to be catholic to attend. Your dad has enough money to afford it, for _both_ of you. He, along with my parents, are going to help with studies and everything!" Teddy's heart began dancing so, she felt as though she wanted to dance herself. If she didn't believe she would make a complete fool of herself, she would. "I'm so happy for you guys, you know? I mean, I know things are rough, and it'll take some time, but you'll heal. Together, you two are _siblings_, so you'll have each other _and_ your father. You also have my family too!"

"Yeah. I'm thrilled really. I just…I guess I miss Denver." Skyler nodded and pat her shoulder, the girl seemed very understanding of the issue. "It's hard, you know…leaving Ivy and Emmett behind. I also…ended things with Spencer. For good." Skyler frowned and gave her another hug.

"I know it's difficult, but it'll get better. I promise! Besides, you're still going to keep in touch with Ivy, right?" She was, but it was difficult to know if they'd _always_ be friends. There was still the issue of Ivy losing her parents that she still blamed herself for. "As for Spencer, you'll find someone that is right for you, I know you will. There's someone out there for everyone."

"I know. I just…used to think that someone _was_ Spencer." She dropped her head for a minute and lifted her shoulders, trying desperately to see the light at the end of that tunnel. She thought she was there, though, but she couldn't be sure.

"It's going to take some time to get over him, I know, but you'll make it. It's just a small bump in the road. _But_, I know what can take your mind off that!" Her eyes drifted up as Skyler twisted around and started glancing about the crowd. She put her hand to her brow and squinted her eyes. "Where'd they go?" She put her hands to her hips and furiously tapped her foot. "I did _not _hunt her down for her to vanish."

"Uh Skyler? Who are you talking about?"

"Cousin." She responded without bothering to turn around. "Yours." Teddy's eyes grew large and her heart skipped a beat, she had to rub her ear to be certain she just heard her friend correctly. "She's two years older than I am, a year older than PJ. We both attended that high school and talked a few times during lunch about her family…didn't know anything about the connections until PJ mentioned her name a couple days ago." She spun back around and spread her arms out, smiling brightly. "So I went through the old high school phone directory and found her number to let her know you were here in New York!"

"Really? If she's here, how'd PJ meet her?"

"You remember when you guys were at the mall last week? PJ went off and talked to two people…" Skyler tapped her chin and hummed thoughtfully. "Opal Booth and James Sloan. I think Opal is the daughter of Mr. Booth's brother. James is the son of your mom's sister. Apparently they meet up in Colorado every year and put up flyers for their missing cousins…you guys."

"So when did _you_ meet her?"

"Back when I moved here, she was a senior and on the school's welcoming committee. I hung with her a couple times during lunch and she would talk about her family…I didn't _know_ at the time that she was talking about you guys or else I would have said something." Skyler took out her phone and dialed a number. Teddy watched with a growing eagerness as the girl turned and started to walk off a couple feet. Finally, it appeared someone answered. "Opal! Where _are_ you? She's here!" Skyler tapped her foot impatiently and sighed. "I see. Okay then. Well hurry…See you in a few…" She hung up the phone and Teddy wagged her eyebrows a couple times.

"What's the hold up?"

"Apparently your uncle decided he just _had_ to grab a hotdog." She threw her hands in the air and exclaimed in mild frustration. "His _niece_ that he's never seen before arrives, and he stops for a hot dog! He's just like Uncle Douglas!" Teddy laughed as Uncle Douglas glanced over at the two.

In a few seconds, Opal came rounding the corner, dragging her father by the wrist. Her father was a lean man with strong arms and a strong, though aged face. He was slightly older in appearance than Henry. He had silver hair and a light brown beard. He was failing in attempt to eat a hotdog, which was practically flying from his hand. An older woman, possibly his wife, followed them with a laughing smile. She had bright blue eyes and short hair that curled neatly in a Marilyn Monroe style. She was wearing a blue v-neck dress and looked like something right out of Broadway!

"I am _not_ going to miss out on seeing my cousin because you wanted to stop for a hotdog, Dad!" Opal exclaimed loudly. Leroy Booth sighed in defeat and instantly smiled at Teddy.

"Well, I guess I can boast over seeing my niece before my brother." Leroy stepped past Opal and tossed the rest of the hotdog into a nearby trash bin. As he stood in front of her, gazing at her, his strong presence began to shake just a bit while his eyes started to glaze over. "You know…you do look so much like your mother. It's hard to believe that you're really here…"

"I know, I…It's all like a dream right now." Her eyes began to water and her palms grew clammy. She really wanted to hug them, but a part of her was afraid. "I'm ready to move on from that past and separate myself…" She'd gone so far as to consider having everyone call her by the name given to her by her mother. _April_, it was a beautiful name, and she actually still carried it as her middle name.

She hadn't given much thought to it, not even recently with all the drama, but Bob and Amy never seemed to bother with it. She just went by Teddy all the time, as it was her first name. Moreover, her full name was Rebecca Teddy April Duncan-Booth. "Where do I even begin? Is it Teddy, or…"

"Well _technically_ my name is Rebecca 'Teddy' April Duncan…just call me April because…that's the name my _real_ mom gave me."

"They…those monsters kept your legal name?"

"They changed it to my middle name, but yeah…"

The woman beside them lifted her ruby red lips into a smooth smile as she stepped forward and spread her arms out. "Well then, _April_, welcome back into the family." Teddy's cheeks went red as the woman hugged her close. "I'm Martha and this is my husband Leroy." The warmth that was sweeping into her was almost too much for her to take, the bliss was overwhelming. She started to sob, slightly embarrassed for it, but not caring at the same time. "Dear?"

"Don't mind me…" She stepped back and wiped her eyes, feeling everyone gazing at her. "I'm just a little overwhelmed. I mean…I'm only just _now_…god why did this…" She shook her head and looked towards her cousin, then to her Uncle and Aunt. She was breaking down, and really wanted to avoid it, but perhaps they wouldn't care. She earned a cry, surely. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Opal commented. The girl moved over and took her hands, smiling through her own tears as Teddy lifted her gaze up into hers. "We're all together now, and that's all that matters."

"Yeah…" She glanced back to Aunt Martha and tilted her head. "Why do you look like Marilyn Monroe?" Martha blushed for one second and laughed while patting her curls.

"Well I usually have my hair like this, but as for the outfit…I'm actually an actress, I'm on Broadway. We were finishing up rehearsal when Opal and Leroy came to pick me up, telling me we had to rush over here." Her jaw dropped and her heart once more skipped a beat, she couldn't believe her aunt was an actual actress! She started to faint, but stopped herself as Opal and Leroy grinned.

She heard Skyler exclaim and looked back over her shoulder to see Henry and PJ driving up to the pick-up lane. She jumped and started running towards the car. Just as PJ stepped out of the door, she practically tackled him, hugging his neck tight and weeping. "PJ! My brother's finally here…" PJ smiled and hugged her back while Henry rounded the car, his face wet with tears.

Teddy felt her father's strong arms wrap around the two of them. It was an instant connection, as though she'd known him her entire life. No words were needed in this exchange, they knew what was in each other's hearts. "I missed you sis."

"I'm sorry it took so long…I met our cousin already. Also Uncle Leroy and Aunt Martha." PJ looked over and laughed lightly, recognizing Opal immediately. Opal gave him a knowing nod and swept a tear from her eyes. "Also. You know my middle name, right?" He nodded and Henry raised an eyebrow. "I never thought about it really until all this drama started, but Bob and Amy kept my first name as my middle…and I want to move past the whole thing…to put everything behind me…"

"So what, you want to go by April from now on?"

"Yes." She looked up to her father, smiling as she met his gaze. He seemed genuinely surprised, but happy. "It's the name our real mom and dad gave me, so I want to use it from here on…" She hugged them both and let a sniffle escape her. "I'm happy we're all together."

"Not quite," Leroy said while walking up in between PJ and Henry. "Mind if we join in?" Her heart rose high in her chest as Leroy, Martha, and Opal all joined in the hug. Skyler stood behind them, smiling as she leaned against her mother's shoulder. As Teddy lifted her head up to the sky, she thought she saw her mother smiling down upon her. The emptiness she had been feeling was fleeing her and being replaced by a warmth that she'd never felt in her life. Perhaps, she could get used to this.

_ April 'Teddy' Booth._

She nestled close to her relatives and closed her eyes, breathing in deeply. Yes. She could get used to this.

* * *

Such a sweet chapter huh?


	26. New Home

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N: From this point on Teddy will go by her given birth name, _April_. To avoid confusion, it will change to that within both the narrative and dialogue.

* * *

Chapter 26 (New Home)

"So what do you think of New York, Ted-April?" April fidgeted with her pants for a second and glanced to PJ, they were both riding in the backseat of their father's car together. In the front seat, Skyler was tagging along for the ride. She opted to stay up front and let PJ and April sit next to one another, seeing as how they hadn't seen each other in a week.

"It's big, it's frightening, overwhelming, but I think it'll be all right." She smiled and glanced out the back window where Opal was following with her parents. Skyler's family was behind them. "I can't wait to see the house. You've not seen it yet, PJ?"

"Nope, I just got out of the hospital this morning and I've been getting all my stuff together. Dad's been getting the house ready in the meantime." She nodded and leaned back a bit, thinking of the trip everyone had to make into Manhattan. It was a little over twenty minutes there from Queens, New York, New York. Aunt Martha had to go into Manhattan for her job, Henry had to go in for the construction jobs, Uncle Leroy was a broker on Wall Street.

"How come no one lives in Manhattan, or wherever they work? Everyone lives out here in Queens, or Long Island…" Skyler was the one to answer, glancing back with a knowledgeable expression.

"There are no real homes in Manhattan, just apartment buildings and stuff. Most everyone lives outside of the city if they want an actual house. Like me, we lived in the city for a couple weeks until Dad was able to find us a nice house out here in Queens. The good thing is, it's not so far from the city, so it's fun to go and do stuff like window shopping or dining out. I've seen the Statue of Liberty a million of times, but I prefer the empire state building." She often wondered what the empire state building involved, perhaps now was as good a time as any to find out.

"So everyone commutes? Hey Skyler, have you ever given thought to what the empire state building was actually used for?" April rolled her head against the window and waited as Skyler lifted her shoulders and glanced back at her. "So what is in it?"

"It's really only used for tourism. I know it does rent out some spaces for businesses, but that's about it. Besides it being one of the tallest buildings in the world, there's nothing else special about it…I'll show you the place when we do our tour of NYC, if you're still interested."

"Of course!" She wanted nothing more than to spend some time with Skyler. She was almost a part of this whole family anyhow, and surely would help her get used to this large place even sooner.

Once they made it to the house, April and PJ stood in awe. The front yard was separated only by a sidewalk leading from the front door to the mailbox, and on either side it had vibrant green grass flowing out like an ocean. The house itself was a large, beautiful two story home with a wonderfully crafted crème oak door. Henry opened the door and smiled at his two children. "We're home…"

PJ looked to his sister and smiled as she gripped his wrist and started pulling him into the home. Inside, they were astonished by the clean crème carpeting and desert sand walls with a milky smooth texture. The second floor balcony could be seen over the living room, it had a white wood railing from wall to wall so anyone could look over and see the living room.

The living room itself was spacious, rectangular, with a couch and television on their right. To their left was an oval brown oak table with four chairs surrounding it. There were two open passageways, one before the table, and one closer to the couch, both led into the kitchen. Beside the entrance near the couch were two desks with computers that had been turned off.

Making their way into the kitchen, their eyes drifted to the mellow peach colored tiles on the ground. The kitchen was rectangular as well, to their right was a sliding glass door leading out into the side of the house and backyard, facing a fence. To their left was a long kitchen counter with a beautiful marble top. Next to the start of this counter was the stairwell leading up to the second floor.

They walked in between the stairwell and a doorway that led into the master bedroom, and came out to where the main, bigger living room rested. The ceiling was high, almost like a palace, and there was a large television in the right back corner. The left wall, and the wall where the stair railing rested, both had two three seat couches. The couch near the railing had two recliners, one on either side.

In the corner between the two couches were several shelves with movies and books. Beside these shelves was another passageway that led into a hallway where one of the guest bedrooms, and a bathroom were located. On the opposite side of the couch against the flat wall was a door that led out into the large backyard.

The second floor held the second guest bedroom, and outside of the bedroom where the balcony overlook was, was a long pool table.

Both bedrooms had been cleaned and fresh sheets had been put down on what were full sized mattresses. Behind PJ and April were all their relatives. "What do you think?" Henry asked with a slight smile. "The guest bedrooms are now yours, they can be decorated any way you like." April liked the thought of being on the second floor, but either room was fine when it came to actually having a room that _wasn't_ a basement.

The upper bedroom was larger and more spacious than the one on the bottom, and it actually had a bathroom connected to it. It was a little bigger than she would have liked. "I think I prefer the one downstairs, what about you PJ?" Her brother scratched his head and glanced out at the balcony.

"It does seem nice. I don't have any problems with it, I can play my music up here and at least it'll be a little quieter than if I were practicing down there." Plus, he needed space to put his drums and all. She only needed the bed, dresser, and computer desk. "You sure you don't want this room, T-April."

"Yeah." She moved over to her father and quickly hugged his neck. There was no doubt the connection was there. Henry smiled and hugged her back. "I can't wait to tell Deputy Dooley that I've made it! I actually forgot that I was supposed to call him." It actually had been several hours now, they'd gone to eat before really heading home. "I'm going to do that…"

"All right, and tell Mr. Dooley I said 'thank you'." She nodded and quickly danced down the steps. She had set her phone down on the kitchen counter. Thinking fast, she grabbed it up and started to dial the detective's number. She hadn't really thought about Bob and Amy since she'd been there, but she knew it was only a matter of time before they would creep into her thoughts again. She truly hoped the nightmares would go away, however.

When she looked up to the front door, she saw a person standing behind it. The doorbell rang and she rushed to answer, it was Deputy Dooley. "Deputy Dooley? When did you get over here?" He frowned and closed his eyes, heaving forth a heavy sigh. She looked back over her shoulder as the rest of the family made their way down the stairs and into the room.

"I'm glad to see you made it here safely, Teddy."

"Thank you. I don't know what I would have done if it wasn't for your help." He smiled vaguely, which concerned her. Was something wrong? "Anyway, I'm going by my given name now. What are you doing here?"

"I'm afraid I have some bad news…" Her heart started to sink as his gaze met Henry's. "Mr. Booth. If you have a minute…" Henry nodded and led the detective into the main living room. Everyone gathered around and sat in various places. Deputy Dooley wiped his brow with a small piece of cloth and leaned back. "I had to be sure to get over here as soon as I could…there's some new information regarding Jasmine…" April froze and shifted her eyes over to Henry, who looked very confused. She felt PJ, who was sitting beside her, start to tense.

"Well. What is it?" Henry asked with a fearful whisper. "What 'new development' are you talking about?"

"Her case has been moved to a homicide." She wanted to scream, but couldn't find the strength to even budge her lips. Her mother was _murdered?_ Henry clenched his fists as Deputy Dooley bowed his head. "A witness came forward, saying she no longer was afraid to speak out, but we have reason to believe Bob Duncan and Dr. Rupert Singh are behind your wife's death. She was pushed from that rooftop, Mr. Booth."

"You've got to be _kidding_ me…and Amy had nothing to do with it?"

"We believe she doesn't know…"

"I understand…" Henry leaned forward, gripping his hands together and closing his eyes. On the coffee table in front of him was a framed photo of his wife. He started to tremble and a salty tear escaped his eye. "In high school, Jasmine and Amy were best of friends, inseparable. It wouldn't make sense for Amy to have ever killed her…no matter what, even if Amy took our children, she'd never want to seriously hurt Jasmine…even in those final years, Jasmine always talked positively about her."

"So they had a good friendship?" The deputy rubbed his chin and narrowed his eyes. He seemed to be thinking about something. A silence descended upon everyone in the room, tension was so thick that no one dared to disturb it. "How much from your high school years can you remember?"

"Plenty. I remember Rupert…you say he had something to do with my wife's death?"

"Yes. He was also harboring Bob and Amy, we believe. He confessed to having been involved…he took his life, along with several of my officers…" Henry tensed and opened his eyes halfway. He grit his teeth as Deputy Dooley continued on, "We're a bit at a standstill in our investigation. If you can remember anything, then you could help us. How long did you know Bob?"

"I personally never _knew_ him, but we went to school together since at least the fourth grade. He was the devil even then…" Deputy Dooley's eyebrows rose sharply as Henry smacked his hands down onto his knees. "He hated having a police father, so he rebelled constantly, I remember that much. He had lots of friends growing up and was very manipulative with women…in junior high, I remember hearing him say that women were 'weak' so they were 'easier to control'…these were reasons I stayed away from him. I know he was bad with women, he did things that were really…really bad…My only hope is he never touched Jasmine." The Deputy grimaced for a split second and brandished his hand in the air.

"These friends of his, we need to investigate all of them. If you remember any names…some of them could be hiding him."

"I can remember several people he hung out with. If you have a piece of paper handy, I'll give you those names." Deputy Dooley nodded and reached into his suit pocket, pulling out a small notepad. "Anything to help. Find that bastard, Deputy…if you have to, put an extra bullet in him for me, would you?" He took the notepad and grabbed a pen off the table, then furiously began writing down various names. The Deputy gave him a knowing nod and waited patiently. "Off the top of my head, I remember a Bob Diddlebock, that's actually one of his longest friends, and in Junior High, that man was the one who provided some of his drugs and alcohol."

"I see. Don't worry Mr. Booth, we'll find him."

"Get that monster off the streets…no matter what it takes." Henry took a deep breath and let his eyes drift over to his wife's picture. "I remember Jasmine told me many years ago, Amy changed when she met Bob. Jasmine hated _both_ of the Bobs, said she didn't want Amy to date them. When Duncan started dating her, that's when Jasmine noticed more of a change…she was worried about her, she didn't think Amy knew just how bad of a man she was with…now it just seems…Jasmine's worries were more just than we thought." He bowed his head as the deputy put a firm hand to his shoulder.

"We'll get him. I guarantee it. I won't rest until he and Amy are brought in."

* * *

So tell me your thoughts.


	27. Criminal Mind

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N: From this point on Teddy will go by her given birth name, _April_. To avoid confusion, it will change to that within both the narrative and dialogue.

* * *

Chapter 27 (Criminal Mind)

Robert 'Bob' Duncan stood gazing from a window of the abandoned hotel they had stopped off at, much to Amy's chagrin. They were in between hiding spots, but it didn't matter. He was content enough just being a step ahead of the police. It had already been announced on the news four days ago that Rupert Singh died in an explosion during a police chase, but the police had yet to reveal anything more about the case.

They were holding themselves back, he knew the strategy, keeping the media unaware kept _him_ unaware. He already knew that when they _would_ let the press know something, it was only so they could let _him_ know something. They wanted him to know Singh was out, but he already knew this. How hard was it to figure out that he wasn't falling victim to their traps? He loved having the upper hand, he _had_ to have the upper hand! No way in hell would that crap detective, Dooley, gain any sort of advantage.

He leaned his hand up against the glossy, dust stained window and slowly drifted his narrow eyes towards the cut up curtain hanging at the side. Behind him, lying on the dusty old mattress was Amy, she was curled up with Charlie in her arms. It broke his heart to have to involve Charlie in all of this, as he knew she would probably wind up very traumatized in the end, but it was for the best. Was it not?

Paranoia. He knew that well, and had increasing fears in regards to certain, imminent capture. There was no way in hell he was rotting away in a prison cell. No, he had a child to raise, with a baby on the way. Amy seemed to be growing weary by the minute, but she could handle the stress. It wasn't like she had anything to worry about. No, the things she didn't know, they wouldn't hurt her. Correct?

_Lies_.

With a vain laugh, he shook his head and slid his fingers into his palm. He couldn't let her leave, there was no _way_ he was letting her leave. PJ, Teddy, and Gabe may have gotten away, they may have left, but she had no reason to. Despite the lie.

_They all left because of the lies. They could not handle the truth._

A lie was better than the truth, that was his belief. He never lied to Amy about anything, except for one thing, the death of Jasmine Booth. That woman still haunted his dreams, his nightmares. He could see her laughing in his dreams where the police would capture him. Mocking him. Though, his other nightmares attempted to feel him with guilt, with remorse.

What he did to Amy's best friend in that room twelve years ago, while Rupert kept a lookout, it did haunt him. She just wouldn't shut up, she wouldn't stop fighting, never once did Jasmine stop screaming at him. He had to destroy that fire somehow. If Amy knew, god if she knew…

Bob looked at Amy with large eyes and a heavy heart. She would likely be his last ally. If they kept going out like Rupert, then she would be the final ally left, and she would leave him. No, he couldn't allow that. He couldn't afford to be caught, he couldn't afford to be alone. She would never forgive him if she knew the truth, for the truth was what destroyed the very foundation of their family.

_ Gabe, PJ, Teddy, they were never ours. They were Daniel, David, and April. They never belonged to us._

Amy cried Jasmine died, and she cried both times Bob convinced her to take Jasmine's baby. She wanted to raise David and April right, but that guilt ate away at her. She could never love them the way a mother loves her children. Then one day, January of 2000, she wanted to give them back.

He squinted his eyes when he saw a flicker of light come from Amy's chest. He realized it was only the moonlight shining in on Charlie's open gaze, the baby was studying him very carefully. Almost reading into his soul. He smiled at Charlie and turned around, gazing out the window and tensing up as he remembered the oddly vivid argument that he had so long ago.

_"Bob I want to take them back," Amy said with a stern tone in her voice. She stomped her foot on the ground and crossed her arms. PJ and Teddy chased each other around the living room and Bob stared at her with a wide, shocked expression. "They're not ours. I…I can't do Jasmine like this."_

_ "Are you insane? We'd be arrested! You think Jasmine honestly cares about whether or not you're free? Once she sees you took her kids-"_

_ "She's always been forgiving, Bob! She even forgave me for the big prom thing you had me do! She's my best friend, she's always been my best friend, and I love her. She's like my sister, Bob…and you had me take her children for whatever reason I'll never know. I mean, I know we _wanted_ kids, but…hers…"_

_ "Look Ames, I have my reasons."_

_ "Is it because of that Diddlebock guy back in high school? Is it because of those drugs you did? Did they fuck you up so bad that you can't leave well enough alone?" Diddlebock had always been his wingman, simple as that. The guy hooked onto a hot woman until Bob decided to make a move on her. By the time he got to Jasmine, she just wasn't interested, then there was that big fight he had with Henry. Strange, he never noticed the guy around, but there he was in plain sight. _

_ "You wouldn't understand my mind, Amy."_

_ "I never do! Sometimes I think you're just going insane…leave her alone, okay? I need to make things right with her. I don't care if I get caught or not, I'm sick of living like this." She turned around, and in a state of panic, Bob latched onto her from behind._

_ "No! You can't do that!" He began trembling and Amy shot him a concerned look. "I'm not going to jail, Amy. I'm not having my father mock the shit out of me like he's done all my life. Please…you can't go to her."_

_ "I'm going to, eventually…somehow…I need to right this. I did this to my best friend, I need to make things right before things get out of hand. I don't want Jasmine hating me, Bob…I don't want her hating me because of you. When I started dating you, she was adamant that you were a bad person, but for some reason that is beyond me, I never saw it! Of course, like they say about your best friends…their judgment is usually never wrong…"_

_ "Amy…" He lowered his arms and watched as she started walking from the kitchen. Gabe had begun crying. He turned his head towards PJ and Teddy, who were watching from the doorway with slight confusion. His phone began blaring out, so he didn't hesitate to answer. It was Rupert Singh. "Hey Rupert…"_

_ "Bob, I thought I'd let you know…besides the new stash I got in-"_

_ "No more drugs right now…"_

_ "No, it's about the new mental patient. She's been asking a lot of questions, wants to see Amy immediately. She's got a lot of spark, not even crazy enough to be in this ward…she's only in because she wants to see Amy. An old 'friend' of ours."_

_ "Who?"_

_ "Jasmine Sunice…or, it's Booth now." His eyes grew large and sweat began forming at his forehead. "I think she's figuring out what happened to her children. She won't stop till she's got answers." No, this wasn't good, she would ruin him! She'd ruin what he and Amy had! _

_ "We need to silence her…" _

He heaved a heavy sigh and ran his sausage fingers along his increasingly bald-head. Sure he'd had a rough life, blaming everything possible on his parents. His mother ran out on the family when he was young, his father was always at work, and he was left alone to do whatever he pleased. Sure it didn't sound so rough, but a son wants his father!

When he was only in the fourth grade, that's when he turned to trouble. His mean streak appeared and he stated hanging with the 'it' crowd. Drugs were readily available by junior high. Many of his old school chums had passed on since those days, but the ones that were still around, were more than willing to help him out.

This was good, since they came aplenty. He already knew the Deputy was searching around for them, the man investigated a few who claimed to not know where he was. Of course, he'd contacted each by pay phone, and some provided cars for him when he needed to change cars, which was on a daily basis almost. It was a whirlwind, one that Amy was constantly complaining about. She'd become more irritable with him since what happened with the Wentz family, which he understood, but she loved him. There was nothing that could make her leave him.

_What happened to Jasmine, she can't know, she would leave him._

He cared about her, but he also cared about _not_ being caught. Whatever it took, he wasn't going to prison. Unfortunately he couldn't very well leave the city, the police were everywhere! Even the airports were watching out for someone matching his description.

When he returned his gaze to Charlie, he saw her quickly avert her eyes. "Daddy bad." His heart sank and Amy gently nuzzled Charlie closer. "Scary daddy." The baby bowed her head and closed her eyes. "Why mommy and daddy make PJ and Teddy leave? Why Gabe gone?" It dawned that while she may be physically safe, she certainly wasn't going to be mentally clear no matter what happened.

He smiled reassuringly at her and reached over to caress her. "Daddy's not bad, he's just doing what he can to protect you and mommy…" Charlie flinched and pulled away from him, shaking her head. He lowered his arm and felt his heart beginning to break. "I know you're not sure what's going on right now, but I promise, things will be better…"

"Daddy talk in sleep, Daddy hurt Mommy's friend." He froze as Charlie quickly turned around and buried her face into Amy's chest. The woman was snoring loudly, hard sleeper as always. Bob staggered backwards, his hands trembling. When did he talk in his sleep? When did he say anything about Jasmine? "Bad scary daddy."

"N-No..I'm not…you'll understand one day why I do this…"

"Bad Daddy." He sighed and searched the mattress for a place to sleep. Chances were, Charlie would start wailing and wake Amy, not wanting him anywhere near. She did this last night as well, and even when they were staying with Dr. Singh.

He closed his eyes and started moving towards the wicker chair. It looked to be falling apart, but it would do for a night's worth of sleeping. "Fine. I'll sleep here. I'm not bad…I'm not bad…"

_Say whatever you want to believe to put your mind at ease._

Even though he wanted to sleep, tonight was not a good night for him. He ran off paranoia, off of fear, and these were just some of the things that were keeping him awake.

* * *

Well, so we see Bob's slowly sinking farther and farther into a pit of despair, fear, and rage. We see Amy had nothing to do with what happened to Jasmine and wanted to make things right, wow...Well what did you think of this one?


	28. Led Astray by the Devil

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N: From this point on Teddy will go by her given birth name, _April_. To avoid confusion, it will change to that within both the narrative and dialogue.

* * *

Chapter 28 (Led Astray by the Devil)

The next morning, clutching Charlie tight in her arms, Amy slowly followed Bob into a nearby diner. There was one girl in the diner, young, could not be much older than twenty. She was behind the bar, wiping it down with a rag. She was average sized, had her hair falling into a neat brown curl, and her gorgeous green eyes drifted from the small television on the bar and towards the couple. She smiled cheerfully and stretched up.

"Hi! Welcome to The Jazz Diner!" She spoke with such perky enthusiasm that it relaxed Amy's shot nerves. "I'm Beth, can I help you?" It seemed she didn't recognize them, though the look in her eyes seemed to speak question, as if she _thought_ she recognized them.

Bob went ahead and ordered while Amy carried Charlie to a seat close to the back corner. She gazed over to the television screen, then past it where the diner's freezer was located. The door was open a bit, though not all the way. She wanted to speak up about it, but couldn't find the strength to care.

Her mind was too focused on Jasmine lately, she didn't know why, but her mind couldn't let go about her. She should never have taken PJ and Teddy from her, nor did she _want_ to. It was her fault Jasmine was dead, her fault that the woman committed suicide. Bob never wanted to talk about it, she didn't understand that. Whatever she was doing wrong, she wanted to know. Though, she was beginning to become afraid of him, he'd been changing so much. Since he killed Mr. and Mrs. Wentz, she had become terrified.

She could forgive him for that, though. She could forgive him for everything, but something in her gut told her there was just one thing that he couldn't be forgiven for. What that was, she didn't know. All she knew was the three older kids were safe now. Maybe with their real families, maybe with the police, but either way, they were where they ought to be. Charlie was with her, so she was safe.

So why was there something she felt she couldn't stomach?

When they saw the news of Dr. Singh, the memories of Jasmine came back. Her death had been during the time Singh was working the mental ward. That night, Amy wished she'd been there to at least talk to Jasmine, but she'd been home arguing with Bob. She had such a terrible headache that she couldn't go into work. She slept pretty much through the rest of the next few days that passed.

When she heard of Jasmine's suicide, she'd been so traumatized that she could hardly move. She didn't know where to find Henry, nor did she know what she would say to him.

_Hi, remember me, Jasmine's friend? I took your children and made your wife so depressed that she killed herself…_

She felt her stomach churn as Bob came walking towards her. She looked at him with a sad smile, then tore her gaze away to Charlie, who was now sitting patiently beside her. "She'll have our breakfast out soon," Bob said with a smile. He knew what she liked, so there was no use in bothering about the orders. "She's the only one working this morning, so that's a plus for us. Less risk of getting caught."

"Yeah I guess…" Did she doubt her feelings for him? No, she still loved him, despite how brash he seemed. Most would think she was crazy for loving him, and maybe she was, but she didn't know a life without him. "Bob I don't know about you, but I'm glad PJ, Teddy, and Gabe will be able to be happy." Bob waved a hand through the air and glanced off to the side.

"Whatever, they're not important to us anymore Amy. They left…why would you be so surprised."

"I'm not…" It was only a matter of time before _someone_ figured it out. Of course, Mrs. Dabney didn't help matters by going in herself. "I just…I'm glad PJ and Teddy might find their father. I'm _sad_ because I know I won't be their mother anymore, but I'm happy for them. Is that so wrong?"

"I don't know Ames. I just know I'm getting tired of seeing that Deputy's face. I know you said no more killing, no more doing things that are bad, but Ames, we can't afford to get caught. We'll lose Charlie." She rolled her eyes and leaned her head back, groaning loudly.

"Oh Bob, we're going to lose her either way!" Eventually they'd get caught, whether they were alive or dead, and Charlie would be taken from them. Even if they weren't, she might leave them on her own one day. "I don't know how much I can keep this up…" He took her hands in his and smiled into her eyes.

"As long as we need to, to be safe." She averted her gaze, disgusted. She'd had more than enough of this crime spree. When they stayed with her sister, she'd never seen Diane so terrified. Then Diane's husband tried to protect his family, Bob attacked him. He almost attacked Diane, but Amy had to put a stop to that, since she didn't want anything happening to her sister.

She glanced off to Beth, who was frying a couple eggs and bacon on the stove. The girl was glancing back at them on occasion, still she seemed intrigued by the two. "Hey Beth, how are the eggs coming?" Amy tried to put in the best friendly tone that she could, but it was difficult. Beth glanced back with a smile and lifted her shoulders.

"They'll be done soon. I'm sorry I keep staring, I just feel like I've seen you somewhere…"

"You watch the news much?"

"No, I've never been a news person. Sometimes if I'm bored I will…" Amy took a deep breath and bowed her head, thankful that Beth _didn't_ appear to recognize them. She was a little afraid of what Bob might do to the poor girl if she did. She reminded her a little bit Jasmine, but wasn't too sure why. "My parents say there's a lot on the news, and my boss tells me to keep it on the news lately."

"Really?" She looked at the television, some sitcom was playing. "That's not the news…" She noticed Bob starting to rub his neck, then his head, something he would do when he started to grow nervous. Was there something on the news he didn't want her to see, besides their usual crime spree that was all over the news?

"Oh I know. My boss owns this diner, but she's out of town. You'd like her if you knew her, Casey Sloan, her son's kind of cute…" Beth blushed for a moment and quickly removed the eggs and bacon from the plate.

Immediately, Amy was broken. She began trembling and Bob gave her a look of concern. It all made sense to her now. The name of the diner, the memories that were affecting her, why it felt like Jasmine was near her when she wasn't. In high school, they were seniors when Jasmine's sister came in as a Freshman, and it was that year that Casey Sunice met her future husband, John Sloan. Casey was always wanting to tag along with the big girls when they were younger. If Amy and Jasmine went shopping, Casey wanted to go. No matter what, she wanted to be a part of the team.

Amy threw her hand to her mouth and started to whimper as tears stung her eyes. Her heart started pounding in her chest and she immediately began scanning the walls for the first time. There were many pictures up of the family, just a simple country diner that Jasmine would have loved. On the wall adjacent to her, directly in front of her, was the portrait of the diner's inspiration, Jasmine herself. "Y-You said the owner's…out of town?"

"Yes ma'am, the Sloan's went off to New York a couple days ago. They said they had to meet with some old family. I wanted to go, but Miss Sloan said I was the only one she trusted to man the diner."

"I see…" Her heart was breaking even more, and the terror was that Bob was sitting right there. He hadn't appeared to even realize where they were. What would he do if he knew? She didn't want anything to happen to this diner, she didn't want anything to happen to Beth. It was better to leave this diner, but some force was holding her down. "We shouldn't be here," she whispered. Bob raised an eyebrow and scoffed, his back was towards the pictures of Jasmine. That must have been what happened. "So they went to New York? Family?"

"Yes." So PJ and Teddy _had_ made it. She was relieved, but at the same time, terrified. Henry likely hated her, the whole family hated her, but was it all her fault? Maybe. Beth started to bring the food over to the table, still smiling cheerfully. "Miss Sloan always says 'serve with a smile, no matter what', so here's your food! Let me know if you need anything else."

Bob thanked the girl and excused himself to go to the restroom. Amy stared at her breakfast and tilted her head, she had a craving for French toast, and quite literally, many things. "No matter what? Is something on your mind?"

"A little. I kind of miss James. I know he's only nineteen and I'm actually twenty, most people tell me to date older men…but he's also my boss's son, so I don't really think that'd be a good idea." Amy's eyes lit up and she started to chuckle.

"Oh please, if you feel it in your heart, go for it. Just make sure he's the right guy."

"Like your husband? He was the right guy, right?" Amy tilted her head back and glanced towards the restroom with a frown. She wasn't too sure that she could say he was the _right_ guy, she felt like he was back in the day, but now he was just someone that scared her. Sure she loved him, she probably wouldn't want to help the police catch him or anything, but again she was fearful of what he could do.

"Maybe…So tell me a little more about the Sloan's, how are they?"

"Miss Sloan's been going nuts the last week or two, but I can understand why. They said the police found her sister's missing kids…but they went up to New York because of some new stuff the police informed her about." Amy raised an eyebrow and leaned forward as Beth took a seat. "I really shouldn't talk about it, and I wish I could help them cope…it seems like Miss Sloan's sister didn't commit suicide after all."

Amy did a double take and her eyes started to grow large as her heart slammed against her ribs. Her stomach twisted with a sharp pain that sent bile shooting up her throat. She coughed the feeling down and quickly shook her head. "She-what? What do you mean she didn't commit suicide? I thought…I mean…it was all over the news when it happened…"

"Well apparently the police think that doctor that died recently had something to do with it." Amy put her hand to her forehead and glanced back at the restroom. It couldn't be. She wanted this feeling in her gut to be morning sickness, but that had passed long ago. "They think she was assaulted and murdered…" Beth wiped an eye and quickly moved away. "I'm sorry! I really shouldn't be telling you all this…"

"No…" Amy's voice was soft, quiet, her eyes were fixated on the plate of food in front of her. Suddenly, she wasn't hungry any longer. She didn't want to believe it, it had to be a lie, but why would the girl make something up about a family she cared so much about? Surely a sob story for extra tips wasn't necessary.

Before she could say anything longer, the television changed over to urgent, breaking news. Amy and Beth looked at the screen and frowned as the reporter's masculine voice filled the diner. _"Breaking news, the police have just released the most recent details they believe is in relation to the child abduction case. Jasmine Booth's death, mother of David and April Booth, thought to have committed suicide on January 5__th__, 2000, has just been ruled a homicide. David and April Booth were taken from the hospital by Bob and Amy Duncan. If you see these two, do not hesitate to call the police."_ Amy's heart clenched with fear as Beth's eyes started to enlarge, the press had just thrown pictures of the couple on the screen, along with Charlie. _"They are thought to have their own daughter with them. The police believe Dr. Rupert Singh was involved in Jasmine Booth's murder, as witnesses from the hospital claim she was seeking her missing children that night…"_

Amy watched the young waitress stagger towards the bar, not once looking back. Charlie glanced up at her and she slowly looked to the restroom. Bob was staring in shock at her. Without thinking, she rose up and ran for him, shoving him against the wall. "You _asshole!_" He winced as his back shot into the wall. "I told you _no_."

"What makes you think I had anything to do with it, Ames? I didn't!"

"Are you lying to me, Bob? Are you?" She wanted to believe him, she wanted so badly to believe that Dr. Singh acted alone. The news didn't say anything about Bob being involved, but if he was, she was _done_. Tears were flying from her face as she screamed at him, filled with rage and great sorrow. She could have _saved_ Jasmine. She could have gone to work that day and made sure nothing happened. "Why…why wasn't I there?" She pushed her hand into her hair and pressed herself against the wall, sliding down to her knees and sobbing.

"Amy…" When he touched her shoulder, she yelped and smacked his hand away.

"Leave me alone, Bob! I better find out you had nothing to do with that…" He smiled at her and knelt down in front, placing his hands once more on her shoulders. She whimpered into his gaze and started shivering, something about his eyes were deadly and cold. How could she trust him? He could be lying about everything. They were _close_ to Dr. Singh, or at least _he_ was. That man would do anything for him, even dying for him, which apparently happened a few days ago. "J-Jasmine was my best friend, Bob. I loved her like a sister…if you hurt her…oh god if you hurt her…" She threw her hand to her mouth and started whimpering again, remembering Beth's words. "Let _go_ of me Bob…I-I don't think…"

"It's okay sweetheart. I love you." He started to hug her, but she pushed him back with a loud scream. Adrenaline rushed through her as she started crawling away from him. Tears soaked her face and her hair and she slowly began to curl up against the wall. Bob frowned and put his hand over his face, sliding it down an inch. "Okay…okay you just need some time. I'm going to go for a drive and I'll be back, just please be calm when I get back…"

"Don't touch Charlie, Bob. If you're going for a drive, go by yourself…"

"Fine…" Her aching body trembled with greater intensity as he left the diner. She couldn't trust him, something was telling her she could not trust him. She lifted her eyes to the picture of Jasmine and the tears started to come again with the nightmares.

As she pulled her knees to her chest, she swore she could hear thunder clapping in the clear day. In her mind, she imagined Jasmine standing up on the roof with rain pouring down all around her. The woman's hair soaked, like the girl from the ring, her eyes glared out at her and her lips moved slowly, as if to say she could never forgive her.

She threw her hands to her head and screamed as the vision changed. Jasmine was now screaming, crying out. Someone was hurting her, someone unseen. Amy had never seen her friend in so much pain. Always Jasmine had been the strong one, always she'd been the one who would want to fight to right some kind of wrong. Never one to give up, Jasmine would keep pushing, but now the woman's fight was gone. Amy could _feel_ her hopelessness.

Bob wouldn't hurt her would he? He _knew_ Jasmine was off limits. There was no hurting her allowed! "Momma?" She opened her eyes and saw Charlie standing several feet from her. She started to stretch her arm out, but froze when Beth stepped behind Charlie and quickly picked her up.

"C-Charlie!" Now the fear of losing her baby set in, but she deserved it, did she not? She took Jasmine's babies from her, and now Charlie was going to be taken from her. Ironically, in the very diner devoted to Jasmine. Tears escaped her eyes as she watched Charlie clutching protectively to Beth. When she reached out, Charlie spat at her.

"Mommy bad. Daddy bad. Make brothers and sister go away…"

"No baby…" Beth quickly looked to the bar and ran over to it, reaching out for the cell phone lying there. Amy let out a loud yell and ran for her. "Please! My baby!" The girl's head quickly shot up and she held out the phone, facing it towards her. She froze in spot and stared at the phone, unsure of what the young girl was trying to prove.

"Stay back!" Amy whimpered as Beth started backing up slowly towards the freezer. She carefully followed her, reaching out with her arms and sobbing quietly. Her chest ached as she started to realize her own daughter wanted nothing to do with her. "You…I served your breakfast!"

"You don't understand Beth…I never wanted…I never wanted anything to happen. Jasmine was my best friend, I loved her…"

"Then why are you hanging around her murderer!" The words rattled her, causing her to drop her arms and watch in shock as Beth backed up into the freezer.

"I…never knew he did anything to her…I always thought it was a suicide. I wanted to give her children back. I promise. It was Bob, he wanted to steal her children, he wanted to…" Her life was ruined because of Bob, and she never knew why. Why did he hate Jasmine so much? What was the point of it all? "Just please…"

"No! You took away her kids, and I'm not letting you have yours! I'm calling the police!" Amy gasped and put her hand to her chest. _The Police_, but what could they do? She wasn't going to work with them, not until she knew for sure what Bob had done.

"Please let me just hold my baby…" She started moving into the freezer, but Beth quickly circled around her and pushed her down with her shoulder. Amy let out a fierce scream as she fell towards the floor. When she looked up, she saw the freezer door slamming shut. "N-No! No you can't leave me in here! Please!" She ran for the door and started pounding on it, screaming out as panic flooded her veins. "No!"

A soft voice drifted into her ears, soothing her terrified soul. "Relax Amy…it'll be okay…" She kept her forearms against the door and put her forehead upon them, sobbing gently as the frigid air bit her skin.

"Not now Jazzy, please…I can't be optim-" Her eyes widened and she quickly spun around. _Jasmine_ was standing before her, or more, her apparition. "J-Jasmine? It can't be…it can't be true…" The woman standing before her was revealing the truth of what had happened to her. Currently, the wounded parts of her were red, as if shown by blood. There was a violet redness around her thighs and waist, legs and upper torso. Along with this, there was a light red tint all along her crumpled looking body. Her cheek had a bright red glow, appearing to mean she'd been struck there as well. "Is…is that what happened to you?"

"Yes…" Slowly the red spots went away, the crumpled areas of skin where she hit the ground vanished, and all was replaced by a bright white aura. Amy fell to her knees and started to sob. She still wanted to deny that Bob did all this too her, she still wanted to believe Dr. Singh did it and Bob was honest in who he was to her. "Amy…I forgive you…"

She wrapped her arms around her chest and started sniveling, ignoring the coldness of the room. Jasmine knelt beside her and rested a soft and against her shoulder. Amy couldn't look at her, the guilt was too overwhelming to allow it. "How? How can you _possibly_ forgive me? Jasmine, I…I don't deserve…" She put her hands to her face and started weeping.

"You were blinded by your feelings for him, I know that. Back in high school, after high school. I know it was all Bob. He was insane…They say the truth sets you free, at least that's what they say up here in Heaven. They also say if you know Jesus and you repent, you'll come up here…I feel like I need to say that, kind of an angel's order." Jasmine smiled gently as her words caused a chuckle to leave Amy's lips. She'd _always_ been the one to try to bring some sort of humor into the situation, no matter what.

"You were always the better of us, Jazzy. You know I already had crazy and competitive tendencies…Bob just…when I met him…I don't know…"

"He made those tendencies come out even more. Don't blame yourself because you were with him, don't blame yourself for what happened to me…I know you would never willingly do anything to seriously hurt me. I know right now you're probably very confused, very scared, but you don't need to be afraid anymore."

"I'm going to go away for life. I'm going to lose Charlie _and_ my new baby. I know I deserve it, but…it hurts so much…" She felt Jasmine's arms around her, comforting her. "I'm so sorry Jazzy…I'm so, _so_ sorry. You must hate me, you must have hated me."

"Truth? I never hated you." Amy gasped lightly and looked up into her friend's eyes. Jasmine lifted a hand and brushed Amy's hair to the side. "Even prom, I didn't hate you. Why do you think I had always been your best friend growing up?"

"Someone had to put up with me…"

"You were a little ball of crazy, and you needed someone that could help you keep that contained." Amy bowed her head and slowly wiped her eyes. She understood now. Jasmine was the angel, Bob was the devil, the devil that tempted her away. She'd sinned because of the devil, and prison, yes prison would be the place of repentance. "It's not too late, Amy…"

"Bob blinded me, didn't he? He's the reason…everything we did to you…why did he hate you?"

"Truth. He wanted you for himself. He and Bob Diddlebock wanted to find that crazy, gullible girl, and it wasn't me…he tried things with me, and when it wouldn't work, he hated me. That's about it." Amy's heart splintered across her chest, piercing her body as she imagined Bob chasing after Jasmine. Had everything been because Jasmine wouldn't associate with him? "I never told you how I started to date Henry, did I?"

"No…I was always curious, but you wouldn't tell me."

"I was trying to protect you. You've always had a fragile heart, but maybe I should have told you…" Amy closed her hand above her chest and whined as Jasmine slowly rose up and closed her eyes. She didn't know if she _wanted_ to know now. "You wouldn't have believe me then, but I think you would listen now…"

"Bob?"

"Yes. He and Diddlebock jumped me outside of the school…I think you'd already started dating Bob at that time. I knew he meant the world to you…" Amy's eyes started to grow and terror shocked her organs to the point she was worried they would fail on her. She could hardly breathe as she imagined the two Bobs hurting her friend. "While I was trying to get away, Diddlebock had me pinned down and Bob was coming at me…that's when Henry showed up from behind. He struck them with a wrench or something…scared them off."

"R-Really?" She knew Jasmine wouldn't lie to her, not in life, and surely not in death. "Henry saved you…"

"He'd been asking me out a couple times, so I decided to give him a shot and see where it led. Best decision of my life. I know this is a lot for you to take in…"

"Jazzy, I'm sorry!" She reached for Jasmine, grabbing her dress and sobbing frantically. Her friend smiled down at her. She could never understand why Jasmine was always so caring towards her, so forgiving and loving. "I wanted to give them back. I tried to love them and care for them because they were yours, but it never felt right…"

"I know Amy." She reached down and hugged her once more. "Just take a few deep breaths. I know this is hard, I know you're scared, but you'll be okay."

"I should have known you'd never kill yourself. I should have thought more about it…Bob and I had been arguing just before it…I should have _known!_"

"Amy. Everything will be okay. It's time for me to go. We'll see each other again someday. I promise…until then, I'll always be with you."

"G-Goodbye Jazzy…" She choked up and watched as her friend slowly faded from sight. The devil won, the devil blinded her and took away her angel. She hadn't been strong enough, she'd been weak, as always. That was why she needed Jasmine in her life, the solid rock to stand on.

After several more minutes of weeping, the freezer door opened and light struck her. She looked out and shielded her eyes, whimpering as she met Deputy Dooley's stern gaze. Beside him was Beth, still clutching Charlie in her arms. Several police officers were surrounding them, all pointing their guns to her.

"You can come with us peacefully, or not," Deputy Dooley spoke with an irritated tone. She lowered her arm and quickly looked to Charlie, who averted her eyes. The Deputy raised an eyebrow and crossed his arms. The officers still had their guns trained upon her, but she wasn't wanting to go out fighting. "Resist, and I have given my officers permission to fire. Either way, half of your Bonnie and Clyde team will be taken out here and now. What happens next…is in your hands…" He narrowed his eyes and she slowly put her hands behind her head.

"I-I'll go with you…I won't resist…I don't want to be with the devil anymore. Please…" She clenched her eyes shut and started to whimper. "God forgive me, please…I'm sorry…I strayed…" The Deputy lifted his eyebrows and cleared his throat, signaling to the officers. They put away their guns and rushed inside, grabbing her arms and helping her to her feet. She looked to Beth and the Deputy as the officers slapped the cuffs onto her wrists.

She bowed her head as Deputy Dooley moved behind her and checked the cuffs. He put a hand to her shoulder and started leading her out. She lifted her head up as she passed Beth and Charlie, both watched on with disheartened gazes. As they rounded the corner, she took a look at Jasmine's photo on the wall and took a deep breath. She thought she saw a shimmer beside the photo, as though Jasmine's spirit was standing there, watching her. She closed her eyes and turned her head to the door.

When she was led out of the diner, she turned her eyes to the sky. A tear fell down her stained cheeks as the clouds rolled away from the sun. She didn't know where Bob was right now, and she didn't care. She knew he'd probably not come anywhere near the place now that police were there.

She no longer had to fear. That timid girl she used to be, young and afraid, 'ball of crazy', was no more. How she longed to go back in time, to correct what had gone wrong, but she knew it would be impossible to change time. Perhaps now she could make things right.

She was pushed into the police car and gazed out at the diner one last time. Beth and Charlie were standing outside the door, and beside them stood Jasmine's spirit, smiling on her. Her heart no longer had to mourn, she had always believed Jasmine whenever she said things would be okay, and this time was no different. When Deputy Dooley entered the driver's side, she turned her head to him and closed her eyes, breathing in slowly. "Deputy Dooley…"

"What?" The man started up the car and began driving. The other three units that came with him followed behind. She closed her hand upon her chest and glanced back towards Charlie. She had to do this, it was important to her. She wanted to make things right, but didn't know if Henry would accept.

"Please consider…I know I'm going to lose my babies, and I know we took Jasmine's babies from her…Her husband, please consider him when considering where to put Charlie." She saw him glance at his rearview mirror, then lift his shoulders.

"I'll consider it. If Henry shows an interest, we'll go from there. Right now, all I'm worried about in this moment, is getting _you_ to prison."

"I understand…" _For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life_. "Romans six, twenty three. I remember…Jazzy would quote that one in particular all the time. Romans six was one of her favorite passages…do you know the passage?"

"Yes. I know quite a few, my wife and I are prominent in our church." She smiled and closed her eyes.

"You know Acts 3:19? Another good one that Jazzy liked…I don't remember it that well…"

"Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. That's the verse."

"Do you…do you think it's too late for me?" She folded her hands in her lap as the Deputy took a left turn. He sighed and slowly shook his head.

"It's never too late. Everyone falls short, God sent his one and only son to die for us, so that we'd be washed clean of our sins. No sin is too great for him to erase from you if you truly repent with conviction in your heart."

"I see…I think that's something she always said…" If so, maybe that meant Bob might never truly be put in prison. He would never repent, that man was too driven by his fear and his hatred for the world. Like the devil himself. "You'll catch Bob…won't you?"

"We'll get him."

* * *

Well, just wow. Your thoughts my friends?


	29. She Will be Loved

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N: From this point on Teddy will go by her given birth name, _April_. To avoid confusion, it will change to that within both the narrative and dialogue.

* * *

Chapter 29 (She Will be Loved)

PJ opened his eyes and groaned as the morning sun poured in on him. He was asleep on a blanket he spread out on the ground, since last night, April had come running into his bedroom, saying she was having terrible nightmares. He decided to let her sleep in his bed while he moved to the floor. Throughout the night, April had woken up shaking and sweating multiple times.

He understood the nightmares she'd been having, as he'd had a few himself. Most of his nightmares were basically just Bob popping up out of nowhere, looking to kill him or take him back. The nightmare that had been consistent for so many years, however, was gone. Being with his father must have made it go away.

He stretched his arms and slowly sat up, glancing over to the bed. April was sitting up as well, her hair was a mess and she looked half-asleep. She looked over at him with a subtle smile. "Hey bro…I'm still in the process of waking up." He snickered and rose to his feet, earning a swift glare from her. "Just because you had a good night's sleep doesn't mean you should laugh at me." He chuckled and sat on the edge of the bed, motioning her over. She moaned and sat next to him, putting her head on the edge of his shoulder and sighing. "I guess I still have to get used to things changing so fast, Brother."

"I know. I wasn't laughing at you either, I understand you're upset. Even I still have some trouble with things…" He glanced at the window and frowned, his guitar was sitting right beside the crème curtains. Lately he'd been working on a new song, working through the emotions of everything that happened to him. "You, me, Gabe…we'll all probably need some therapy. It's inevitable." April chuckled slightly and rubbed her right eye. He moved up and walked towards his guitar. "I've been working on a bit of a song, if you'd like to hear it."

"Sure…you want to be a music teacher, don't you?" He nodded and lifted his guitar up. April leaned back on her hands as he propped one foot onto the edge of the bed and rested his guitar on his knee. Closing his eyes, he started to sing from the heart.

_So messed up_

_ We trusted you and we loved you_

_ Thought you'd want the same for us. _

_ But we were just a game to you._

_ Our livelihood you stole_

_ For what, I'll never quite know._

_ We must have played some kind of role_

_ Just another act in your show_

_ We are…surrounded by your lies_

_ With these, our lives you've destroyed_

_ Wish we could have seen through your devilish snake eyes_

_ Now the truth's out, and you can't avoid…_

_ These…lies that destroy…will take your life_

_ But _I'll_ be okay, I know. We'll be okay._

He opened his wet eyes and stared at the edge of the mattress, giving his guitar one final sweep with his hand. April had tears running down her face and was clapping slowly, as though she were trying to hold back her emotion. "That was beautiful…"

"Thanks. I think it could still use some improvements though." He set his guitar down and moved back to the edge of the bed. "You came in last night worried about Charlie, among other things, right?" She came in mostly complaining that she was having nightmares about Bob catching her, or those she knew, and butchering them. One of her statements, however, was in regards to Charlie's safety and future. "I've been pretty concerned about her too, actually."

April folded her hands into her lap and glanced up, brushing her hair behind her ear. "You have?"

"I mean, we seriously thought she was our sister at one time." Or at least April did, but he couldn't shake that connection he had with her. It wasn't quite as strong as the bond with his true sister, but a connection still had formed as one had with Gabe. "You know how I escaped, April?"

"How?"

"I had Gabe's sister with me, we backed out, Bob was coming at us and Amy had Charlie with her in their car…I looked at Charlie, I wanted so badly to get her away from them…" He knew the legal ramifications, but also the issues of what would happen had he attempted to. April put her hand over her chest and bowed her head, gazing with a hard expression at the floor. "Denise was in more danger than Charlie in that moment, and if I had tried to take her from that car…not only would Amy start clawing at me, but Bob would have gotten to me. I don't know if I, or Denise, would have survived if we tried…"

"Do you think she's okay now? Deputy Dooley told me she'd go into foster care…" His stomach clenched and he slowly turned his gaze to the door, he didn't want Charlie to have to deal with all that. Then again, he had a thought going through his mind. Their father had been cheated out of raising a family, here he was about to go off to college, and Teddy had only a few years. Never had the man experienced what it must feel like to raise a child. It seemed like a crazy idea, but perhaps they could talk Henry into adopting Charlie.

"I'm thinking about talking dad into adopting her. I've been thinking about it for a while now." April smiled and quickly stood from the bed, already seeming eager to talk to their dad. "What do you think?"

"I think it's a great idea. We'd get to have Charlie as a part of the family, and Dad gets another chance to raise a baby." She motioned him with her hand and quickly charged from the bedroom. PJ waited for a second until her head popped back into the bedroom. "Of course, it'd probably be best I get dressed first."

"Yeah."

After about half an hour, they were at the table in the dining area, Henry was at the head of the table with his back to the wall. PJ was on his right and April to his left. With them, visiting, was their cousin James and his mother Casey. They arrived in New York a few days ago. "So you want me to adopt…" Henry raised his eyebrow and smiled slightly. "Of course, I would never blame the baby for her parents' actions, but…I don't know, I'll have to think on that."

April gave him a quick smile to try and melt his heart, as all daughters do. "I know it's a big decision, but it would be great for everyone. She wouldn't have to go through foster care, you'd be able to raise a child through life, and we'd feel a lot better knowing she was safe." He hummed and leaned back, gazing down at the omelet in front of him.

"Well…" He was definitely being swayed into the general direction of adoption, PJ could tell that much. "I'll have to think about that. I mean, I would hate to see her go through the foster care…"

PJ frowned and leaned back in his chair, he knew the man was hesitating, but didn't know why. "Is it because of who her parents are?"

"No, not so much, I just worry about whether I actually would make a good parent for her. I mean…we're talking a motherless home…" And of course, he never dated. PJ actually wondered if it wouldn't be such a bad idea for him to start dating. Then again, he understood why the man never did. "I know the connection she has to you two, so maybe…but no, it has nothing to do with who her parents are."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Well, her mother at least." He breathed in a deep sigh and crossed his arms over. "Let me tell you something about her parents that I'm sure you don't know…"

"Okay."

"Amy and your mother were the best of friends, not only were they best friends, but your mom spoke well of her until the day she died." PJ and April were shocked to hear this. Maybe it was just that she didn't know Amy was the one that had her children. "Amy was not the bad one, just manipulated and controlled by Bob. I know this, because it was clear to see, she didn't start changing until _after_ she met him. Before then, he wasn't such a good guy…never was one…he tried to hurt your mother very badly one day, and Jasmine regretted her decision to not tell her about it." PJ felt a knot forming in his stomach and let out a slight groan. "That man has always been the one to manipulate women, your mother was too strong and too Christian to let him near, but Amy…I remember Jasmine used to tease that she was a 'little ball of crazy', she was weak."

April leaned forward, she seemed perplexed, but eager to know about her mom. "So Mom was kind of like Ivy is to me?"

"Yeah, and I think if she saw Amy again, she would have tried to help her."

"So, do you think Mom would want you to adopt Charlie?" Henry chuckled and slowly rose up from the table. "I mean, just because there's not someone to mother her…She has me, PJ, and you to be a father." He smiled and slowly nodded his head.

"I'll _think_ about it."

April cheered and high-fived PJ. He felt a good sense of hope that they'd see Charlie again, especially since their father looked like he wanted to take the kid in. It _was_ a big decision, and a scary one at that. There didn't need to be a mother in the house, though it would be nice, but at least Charlie would be safe.

As they were finishing up their breakfast, the doorbell chimed out, catching their attention. PJ moved over to the front door and opened it, revealing Gabe with his parents and sister. "PJ! We were passing through and I wanted to stop by, Skyler said you and Teddy were over here." April gasped and quickly hurried over, nearly knocking her plate off the table in the process.

"Gabe!" She exclaimed joyously, throwing her arms around him. Gabe laughed and hugged her back. PJ watched the exchange with a delighted heart, it was always great to see the kid again. He saw Gabe beginning to turn blue in April's hug, so he quickly tapped her shoulder and motioned for her to step back.

"I think you're crushing him, sis."

"Sorry…" She took a step back and smiled as Gabe adjusted his shirt some. "I go by April now, Gabe. This is a good home, it feels great to have family here." He looked up at her and agreed, nodding his head.

"I know! We're taking a big vacation, we stopped at…" He started counting off his fingers, sticking his tongue slightly from his lips while gazing at the ceiling in thought. "Pikes Peak, the Grand Canyon, went through Amarillo, Texas, stopped off to see Elvis's house in Nashville, and now we're going to go see Niagara Falls before heading back to Denver!"

PJ's eyebrows lifted and his lips parted for the moment, he would love to have gone on such an impressive trip. Perhaps one day, he'd go out for a drive like that with Skyler. "Well, sounds like fun," he commented. "We're trying to convince our dad to adopt Charlie. Though, I guess that can't happen until she's in custody…" He heard footsteps and glanced back to see Henry walking back into the room, an intrigued expression rested on his face.

"That your dad?" Gabe asked. He rushed forward and waved. "Hi I'm Gabe, I grew up with PJ and Teddy-er, April." Henry nodded and shook Gabe's hand.

"I've heard quite a bit about you from PJ and April, good to meet you."

"And over here-" He moved beside his family and pointed at each of them. "My dad, mom, and my sister Denise." Henry looked to each of them and nodded respectfully, asking for them to come inside.

After a couple hours of talking, they all were sitting lazily around the main living room. The phone rang and Henry answered. The others silenced and waited for him to finish his call. He looked shaken, but relieved at the same time. The call seemed to drag on, only making the others more and more curious.

Once he hung up the phone, he looked over to PJ and April with a small smile. "That was…Deputy Dooley calling." PJ practically fell out of his seat, always eager to know what the man had to say. April was the same, practically revering the man and putting him on a pedestal. "Amy Duncan has been arrested…" His heart pulsed out with shock, and those in the room started to exchange various glances. They were relieved she was arrested, but at the same time, it sounded as though _Bob_ were still out there.

"So Bob is still out there?" Michael growled.

"Unfortunately…Deputy Dooley says it's for the best that Amy's in police custody now, however. She was found at my sister-in-law's diner, oddly enough." This likely meant the Sloan family would be returning to Denver soon, to make sure everything was okay. PJ didn't want to see them go back home so soon, but it wasn't avoidable. Henry took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "The Deputy also told me…Amy herself wants me to take Charlie in." PJ smiled and April covered her mouth to hide a growing grin.

"So will you?" She asked. "Will you adopt her? I know she deserves a good family."

"She does…and I think it's what your mother would have wanted, so…yes. I'll adopt her. Mr. Dooley still has to do some paperwork, social workers have to deal with phone calls and whatnot, but I'll take her in." He paused, gazing at his two kids with a low chuckle. "You kids are turning me soft."

Michael laughed while PJ and April beamed with pride. "Children and family will do that," he remarked while patting his own son's shoulder. "I'm glad to hear you'll be taking Charlie in, you seem like a good man. It doesn't bother you at all who her parents are?"

"No, not at all. Besides, I see her as my wife's best friend's child, and that is Amy _Blankenhooper_, not Duncan." A good way to look at it, PJ had to approve, though he hadn't thought of it like that beforehand. Bob never made a good father, so Henry would be a god change for Charlie, just like he was for them, and Michael for Gabe. "Charlie will be well taken care of."

April moved over and hugged Henry, thanking him for his decision. He smiled and hugged her back. PJ couldn't help but to laugh, she was _already_ becoming a daddy's girl. Chances were, Charlie would be too.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed the chap. By the way a little preview for a future epic chapter set: In the future, Chief Douglas and Michael will be driving a patrol car that explodes. Kaboom. This has been a future predictive preview for you, thank you.


	30. Bloody Chicken Massacre

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N: I'm sorry guys, I didn't realize my mistake until after I posted the last chapter. I saved over the Kwikki Chikki Massacre! There are some very crucial plot points and information here, but I've managed to salvage some and remember other parts. Bear in mind that this takes place BEFORE AMY'S QUESTIONING. So_ before_ the previous chapter!

* * *

Chapter 30.2 (Bloody Chicken Massacre)

Bob separated two branches of the bush he was behind and glared out at the diner. Several officers were still guarding it, so he couldn't slip in and take out that infernal waitress, and it pissed him off. Amy was gone now, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do, but it was okay. She wouldn't be able to hold him back anymore. He could now deal with his own version of justice the way he believed was best.

He turned away from the bush and narrowed his eyes, growling softly. Where did this rage begin? His nostrils flared as he began moving towards the dark, rusty sedan he grabbed from Singh's garage. The man's second car, of course. He wouldn't be needing it any longer. Rounding the corner and opening the door, he thought back onto the three kids who were now with their true families. He let out a violent scoff and slipped into the driver's seat, rubbing his pounding head.

Family. That's where it all began. His eyes narrowed as he slowly put his hands to the steering wheel, gripping it with such pressure that the color in his knuckles began to fade. His muscles tightened and his jaw locked. He hated family. PJ, Teddy, Gabe, Charlie, they would all be happy now. Their parents would be happy now. Why could he never be happy? A policeman father that was never around, a mother who had an affair with her husband's partner, then left without a further word. She and that man were the reason that the family fell apart. She and that man were the reason his father fell into work and stayed away from him.

It didn't have anything at all to do with the fact that he was falling into the wrong crowds at such an early age. No, not at all. His father stayed away because of that bitch and that man. His father's partner was now Denver's Chief of Police, but it didn't matter. Sure the affair ended after a year, the man didn't want to date a married woman, _but she still fucking left!_ Bob tilted his head and lifted his eyebrows. He wasn't crazy for hating them, he wasn't crazy for rebelling against and hating his father. No, not him. _They_ were the crazy ones, for shunning him. For abandoning him in his youth. _They_ were at fault, *not him*, and he would make them _pay!_

Within the hour, Bob had arrived at Robert Diddlebock's home. He burst through the front door to see the man lounging on the couch. Robert casually looked up to him and sighed. "Bob, don't you know how to knock?" He straightened himself up and put his hands between his knees. "What do you need this time? AK-47? Glock? Sniper?" Robert had been a military man and he had several guns stored away in his basement. For many years, he'd been Bob's provider of many things ranging from weapons, to money, and the occasional drug. Singh took care of the drugs and booze for the most part.

"Maybe…" Robert reached for the ashtray on his coffee table and sighed, lifting a burning cigar out and tapping the ash off. He brought the cigar to his lips and leaned back, propping his elbows up on the couch. "How did your interview with Dooley go the other day?" The man laughed and spread his hands out.

"Oh fine, I don't think he got anything he can use from me. Sucks about Singh though, and I'm surprised, you never told me that you actually killed Jasmine." Bob lifted his shoulders and walked over to the couch with a nonchalant gait.

"There are some things I like to keep to myself. I just…I need your help with something. I want payback. My mother and the police chief." Robert raised his eyebrows and coughed his disbelief.

"You're still going on about that? Damn, you hold more of a grudge than my ex wife!" Robert pulled his cigar from his lips and shook his head, sighing heavily. "You don't want to do that alone? I'll help, but I need you to help me out with something…"

"What's that?"

"Well I do believe your mother and the Chief are meeting up at the Kwikki Chikki down the street, I was just over there and I saw your mom there. The chief's car was driving up. So that will help in the long run for you, because the assholes from the restaurant just gave my kid a bout of food poisoning." Robert flicked his cigar off in the ashtray and closed his eyes. "I want to paint his walls red." Bob's heat jumped for joy, just like old times, a chance to be partners once more. An offer he couldn't refuse. "Will you help me out? In the process, we can take out the people who made your life hell."

"Of course!"

"All right, I have the perfect guns for this. Let me grab a couple duffel bags and load them up. I've been planning this all day really, you'll help this go a bit more smoothly. The Kwikki Chikki is basically empty, minus the Chief and your mother."

"Why would they even be there? Did you stick around long enough to know?"

"Well your mother recognized me in a way from our childhood, so I asked her what she was doing at the restaurant. She said she was meeting an old friend for the first time and it was the first place they could think of…apparently." Strange as it was, he didn't care.

Within minutes they were making their way into the Kwikki Chikki. Though they had black ski masks over their faces, they were unnoticed. The employee, Crystal was leaning next to the cash register, popping some bubble gum and texting on her phone. Mitch was heard in the back, calling out orders to Crystal. There were three customers in the restaurant.

Linda Duncan and the Police Chief, Walter Parish, were off towards the right wall, sitting in a booth and sipping on coffee. Then the manager of the Reddie Mart, Hugo, was in a corner booth with his back turned to the door, he was fully engrossed in his hamburger, rather than being aware of any surroundings. Bob couldn't help but chuckle, this would be easy pickings for them.

Within seconds, it all seemed to go by so suddenly, Mitch walked up to the front desk and paled when he saw the men. Bob rested his machine gun on his right forearm and tapped his pistol with a finger. Mitch opened his mouth in alarm, but Robert shout ran out and started the bloodbath.

"This is for your suck-ass food, Mitch!" Bob watched as Robert opened fire. The others in the area screamed at the bullets flying, the first victims were Mitch and Crystal. Mitch had been riddled with bullets, and two stray bullets struck Crystal's cell phone and her head. Gravy ran out from the drive through window in an attempt to help, if he could, but was struck in the hip by a single bullet that sent him into the ground.

Hugo started to get up from his booth, but thinking fast, Bob yanked out his pistol and fired a shot into the back of Hugo's neck. Hugo let out a loud groan and fell face first into the hamburger he'd been stuffing his face with.

Linda remained in her seat, covering her arms with her head while Chief Walter rose up, pulling out his own handgun. Both Bob and Robert turned their machine guns onto the two of them, sending them both to the ground. They stopped firing, making sure Linda was still conscious, as Bob wanted to talk to her before killing his own mother.

Robert huffed and the two of them made their way over. Linda was lying on her back, breathing heavily as blood pooled around her. Chief Walter was face down, his hand was barely trembling. "Oh god," Linda panted. "Oh god I don't want to die. Walter? Walter talk to me."

"Walter won't talk to you any longer, _mother_." Linda's eyes widened as Bob shifted his gun towards her. "You…you made me this way, it was _you_ that did this to me."

"What are you talking about?"

"You abandoned us! You did it, you and this bastard." He dealt a swift kick into Walter's side, growling with a rage more intense than he'd ever felt before. "If it weren't for you…I wouldn't be in this situation!" Linda started whimpering, pleading with him, but her cries fell upon deaf ears.

"Bob! Please, I never meant-" Without mercy, he pulled the trigger, watching his mother's body jerk as his bullet tore through her heart. He felt Robert's hand on his shoulder and glanced over with a tearful frown.

"It's over Bob…you got your revenge…"

"Yeah…" Behind them, Walter was raising his gun with his bloody arm. His vision was blurred and he was not sure who he was aiming at, though he wanted to strike down Bob. His arm moved from side to side as consciousness rapidly faded. In his last moment, he fired a shot and let his hand fall to the ground.

Bob's eyes widened as he felt Robert's body jolt in place. Fear and anger shot through him. Robert fell to his knees, blood poured from the back of his head. "N-No, Robert! Gah!" In blind fury, he twisted around and fired a gunshot into Walter's forehead. Tears drenched his cheeks as he continued firing, stopping only when his friend's body hit the ground. "Robert!" Thinking fast, he knelt beside him and started shaking him, weeping bitterly as he tried to deny the site before him. "You can't…you can't die here…"

Finally one of the chiefs had gained an upper hand. They took out his biggest supplier and his best friend. Now what did he have? Amy was gone, Singh was dead, and now Robert. He had nothing left anymore. He slowly pushed himself up and wiped his eyes, his dark and bleak world had grown darker still.

The emptiness felt all his life was still there, as if killing Linda did nothing for him. He heard sirens in the distance, reminding him of Justin in the restroom. There was no time to go after the boy. Instead, he ran from the restaurant and bolted around the corner. He'd have to take a few back alleys and get away from the police, fast.

He ran like hell, finally arriving at the home of an old friend, Richie, a former band mate. Surely he could help! He had to. He burst through the door and found Richie lounging on the couch, his eyes wide and astonished, but he instantly recognized Bob. "B-Bob what are you doing here?"

"I need a place to lay low for a while…" Richie had no family, no friends, so nobody would be around to want to turn Bob in. He could stay there as long as he needed to. "You're fine with that, right?"

"Well uh…I'm not sure…"

"Not much choice, really." Richie groaned as Bob shut and locked the door. Immediately Bob started shutting the drapes and scanning the area. He needed a change of clothes, and then a bath would help. "Sorry Richie, the closest one of my old friends is about ten minutes away by car, towards the Denver mall, and I have no time to get over there."

"Bob…I'm just not interested in helping you. I'm sorry…I'm going to have to call the police…" He flinched at that and turned his head back over his shoulder, watching with great anxiety as Richie slowly reached for the telephone.

"I'm not helping you."

"Don't you dare touch that phone, Richie. I'm not going to jail."

"Look Bob, prison will help you! Trust me, I was in the pen for a couple years and it really turned me around." He scoffed and began twitching, unable to stop. "You can turn your life around."

"No."

"Just take a deep breath…I know Amy's in prison too…"

"No! Do not touch the phone." His hand clenched around the handle of his pistol and his jaw grew firm. He watched with fear as Richie's hand rested upon the receiver.

"It's for your own good, and maybe…for the good of Denver."

"I'm not fucking going to prison!" Without blinking, he snapped his pistol up and fired a shot into Richie's chest. His eyes widened and his breath caught in his throat as his old friend fell to the ground, uttering quick gasps for air. "R-Richie. I'm not going to jail." Richie moaned and his eyes locked on the ceiling fan above him. Bob watched as the body stopped moving completely, if not for the open eyes, he would have thought Richie merely fell asleep. "I'm sorry…"

After about an hour, he was sitting on the couch, cleaned up and ignoring Richie's body. He aimlessly shifted through the channels, hoping that everything had died down by now. He stopped only when he saw a news channel doing a story on the massacre.

_"There were two survivors here at the Kwikki Chikki, where among the dead are Police Chief Walter Parish..Linda Duncan, Reddie Mart Manager Hugo Franklin, Kwikki Chikki employee Crystal Sanders, and Kwikki Chikki manager Mitch Tucker. Also dead, one of two assailants, Robert Diddlebock." The female reporter was standing beside Justin, the only uninjured survivor. He was trembling and holding onto his arms, his hat was on the ground beside him. "Justin, you were cleaning the restrooms when the attack occurred, is that it?"_

_ "Y-Yes…I heard the gunfire and looked out just long enough to see two men in ski masks hovering over one of the customers. All I know is I heard her call him 'Bob', that was about it." The reporter nodded and returned to the camera._

_ "Victim Linda Duncan, mother of Denver's most wanted criminal, Bob Duncan. Could it be he was involved in today's crime spree? Larry 'Gravy' Jones, another employee that had been working the drive through, was rushed to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the hip, informed police when they arrived at the scene, that one of the shooters began the gunfire as an attack on the food. Kwikki Chikki is known for creating large amounts of food poisoning within the community. This is a sad, sad day not only for Kwikki Chikki, but Reddie Mart and Denver law enforcement-"_

He winced and shut off the television, it seemed he was making quite the name for himself. Slowly, he turned his gaze towards his dead friend, no remorse showed upon his face. "Great…I'm going to have to bury you now…I'm sorry, Richie. I wish it didn't have to be this way." As he rose from his seat, he questioned just how bad things were becoming for him. Killing his mother did nothing for him, and now that Richie was dead, he was running out of friends.

Was it only a matter of time before he was caught? No, no he wouldn't let that happen. He was not going down without a fight!

* * *

Thank God I managed to salvage it! Ugh I was _so pissed_ that I didn't notice the mistake.


	31. Lost No More

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N: From this point on Teddy will go by her given birth name, _April_. To avoid confusion, it will change to that within both the narrative and dialogue.

* * *

Chapter 30 (Lost No More)

Amy sat patiently in the small square metal room with one of those two way mirrors. She twiddled her thumbs together and bowed her head in thought, she'd already heard the news of what happened at the Kwikki Chikki. It was terrifying, she didn't know just how lucky she was to be away from Bob, but it was terrible just how violent he was becoming. Then again, he had always been violent, she'd just never seen it before.

Now she was frightened, the crimes he'd done, she was going to be an accessory to and she knew it. What that meant was, she'd be treated just the same as if she held the trigger in her hands instead of him. Though the recent crimes, obviously she would not be responsible for, but still they scared her to death. "Amy." The soft voice entered her mind once more and she quickly looked over her shoulder to see Jasmine beside her, soothing her with a smile.

"Jazzy? I thought…what are you doing here?" What more was there for Jasmine to do with her? She loved that she was there, but she didn't understand it. "You should be up there in Heaven."

"I've been assigned to help you. A spirit guide, basically." Or in other words, a guardian angel. She didn't deserve one, at least she didn't think so. She raised up an eyebrow as Jasmine sat beside her and put a hand over Amy's hands. "I'm here to help you…a lot of inmates have angels looking over them." Amy smiled subtly and lifted her shoulders.

"I don't know what to do…I'm scared, Bob's gone insane. I wish I never met him. Now I'm afraid of where I'm going, I was led astray and…it sucks." Jasmine rested a gentle hand upon her shoulder and slowly nodded, understanding her pain. Tears sprouted from her eyes and she shook her head from side to side. "I'm lost, Jasmine. I'm confused, I'm alone, and I don't know what's going to happen to me."

"I know how you're feeling, but believe me, everything will be okay. I suggest cooperating with the police, that will definitely help lessen your sentence a little."

"Like how much? I mean…I'm going to get life, I just know it."

"Well if you cooperate, and you are a model prisoner, you can at least get a shot at parole. Granted you might be eighty before then, but you can at least live your elderly years somewhere." Amy smiled briskly and bowed her head, she wasn't so worried about her time alive as she was worried about afterwards. She was confused as to where she would be going, had she lost her salvation? Would God hear her if she prayed?

"What if he doesn't want to hear from me?"

Jasmine chuckled and shook her head. "God wants to hear from _everyone_. Those who have strayed farthest, He wants to hear from most of all. If you're having trouble praying, ask someone to help you. God will hear your prayer always. Speaking of which…" Amy flinched when the door opened and Deputy Dooley came walking into the room. His face was stern and his body tense, obviously he was having a _bad_ day.

She swallowed hard and watched him take his seat. He put his folder on the table, along with a leather duo tone bible that caught her attention. He rested his index finger on his temple and closed his eyes. "Debbie was interested in your talk about the scriptures, so she wanted me to give you this bible. I believe I mentioned that she teaches the women's ministry at our church." She was _stunned_, the Dooley's were actually giving her a bible? Did this mean they might want to help her out? No, probably not, but at least it meant they could potentially answer some questions for her, if they were interested, or cared.

"I-I don't think you mentioned that." She shifted her eyes to Jasmine, who gave her an approving nod. Gingerly she took the bible and stared down at it. "I…I don't deserve this." The Deputy tilted his head to the side and raised his eyebrows.

"Why?"

"Because…I strayed too far. I don't know." Doug closed his eyes and leaned back, clasping his hands together on the table. He let out a large sigh and paused for a few seconds. "What's the point of the scripture if God's-"

"You think God's given up on you?"

"I don't know…of all the people in the world he could look after, why would he bother with me?" Doug pressed his lips together and glanced to a clock on the wall, with another deep sigh, he reached for the bible.

"I'll get to questioning you in a bit, but let's see here…" He thumbed through the bible until he found what he was looking for. Amy's eyebrows rose and she leaned forward, glancing at the book, he'd opened it up to Luke, chapter fifteen. "You don't mind if I take a minute to read you a passage?"

"Go ahead, I'm always eager to learn…"

"That's a good thing. Luke 15:7, 'I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.'" Amy slowly nodded and glanced over at Jasmine, who was mouthing the scripture with a smile. No sense in being jealous of an angel that had the entire bible memorized, but it _was_ impressive. "Within the parable of the lost son, Luke 15:29 through 32. 'He answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'" Doug turned the page and continued. "'My son,' the father said, 'you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'" Doug lifted his gaze to hers and cleared his throat. "When you have more time, you can read the chapter for yourself, but do you get the gist of what it is saying?"

"I guess…"

"God sees all his children, and no matter how much time passes, no matter how lost or how far you may stray, He will always rejoice when those who are lost return to Him. He has neither forgotten, nor given up on you, and will always wait for you to return to Him. When you do, there will be rejoicing in Heaven."

"He's right, you know," Jasmine whispered in a singsong tone. Amy smiled and felt her heart lift up a bit, she was definitely glad to hear those words. Maybe there _was_ hope for her.

"So why are you asking? Are you looking for salvation?"

"Well…I was saved when I was a young girl, but it's been so _long_ since I've prayed or read the scripture and…"

"You don't lose your salvation. 'No one can pluck them from my hand.', once you have eternal salvation, it is yours. However, you _should_ confess and repent, if it is in your heart."

"I want to. I mean…I really do want to get to know Him again. If I confess my sins…if I repent…He'll take me back?"

"Yes." She turned her eyes to the Bible and felt a soothing feeling within her heart. "If you continue to live for Him, but just remember, you're human. We all sin, we all slip up, and God will always forgive when you confess. Debbie does some ministry for some prison inmates, so you can go over all this with her and-"

"Will you pray with me?" She practically blurted it out, taking him by surprise. Jasmine smirked and Amy started to shrink back. "Sorry. I know it's not an appropriate time, and it's an odd request, but I just…I don't know…it's something I feel." In her heart, she really wanted to reconnect spiritually, she wanted to be free and to repent. Doug slowly nodded and closed the bible.

"It's fine, any time is a good time. If you would like to pray before we get started, we can. I have no trouble with that." Plus, Jasmine was there for guidance if she got lost in her attempt to pray, so really there was no worries whatsoever.

"Thank you…can you…start off?"

"Sure." They bowed their heads and Doug started off the prayer. "Father, I just want to say thank you that you have brought Amy here and that she wants to return to you. She's been lost, struggling, and has strayed from You, give her the strength and the words in her heart that she needs to say. I know you're there to listen, and you've been waiting for her return to You." He took a pause and Amy listened as Jasmine told her to begin, to pray with the fullness of her heart.

She inhaled slowly and clasped her hands even closer to her heart. "So…Amy Duncan here…" If God knows her heart, then he would know she is about to pour it all out there, put it all on the line. She would give her troubles to him if she had to. "I'm kind of new at this, or rusty, but please…you know what I've done, falling prey to the devil's temptations and following a guy around knowing he was a bad person. I'm so, _so_ sorry…I feel like there's nothing I can do to take away the pain, the guilt, the loss, and I don't feel whole without a connection to you. Please. Forgive my sins, I want to be clean again." Tears started running down her cheeks as her heart began pounding, slamming against her bones and threatening to jump from her. "I want to be whole again. I want to lift up my troubles, give them to you, I want to praise you and thank you for the cross…I don't know really what to say other than that, but…I want to thank you that PJ, Teddy, and Gabe have all found their families. I hope, I pray, you'll lift them all up…and take care of them, make them happy. I want Charlie to grow up living a good life, please let it be if you will it…and help me, help me live the way you want me to. Keep me safe, keep us all safe…Thank you for Deputy Dooley, give him strength with the loss of the Chief…please give the police courage and strength to catch Bob." What else was there to say? She didn't know, but she wanted to say more, yet she was also worried that she was taking too much time and Doug might be getting impatient. "I don't want to do the wrong things anymore, and I won't…but I need your help and guidance…in Jesus name I pray, Amen…"

"You've heard her prayer," Doug continued silently. "Lift her up into your arms, comfort and guide her. Embrace her, heavenly Father, and help her to walk in the path you've chosen for her. This I pray, amen."

Amy lifted her head and met his eyes with a gentle smile. She didn't feel so bleak anymore, but a warmth was filling up inside her. Her heart seemed to have grown larger than it was before, and now, she was hopeful. Doug cleared his throat and nodded respectfully. "I'll have Debbie come visit you sometime. As for now, we need to begin the questioning."

"I understand, and thank you…" She folded her hands in her hands and stared down at the table. "If you don't mind me asking…what happened to Jasmine, did Bob really…was he really the one that did it?" She didn't want anything but the truth, and she knew he wasn't the type to sugarcoat things. If he was going to be honest, he would, no matter how hard it was to swallow.

Doug pressed his lips together and lightly tapped his fingertips on the table. "Yes. All evidence appears to point to him. The autopsy reports have also been examined again and we've noticed other things. There's reason to believe that she was assaulted before being pushed from the rooftop" Amy's eyes widened and a cold chill ran along her body. She quickly shifted her eyes to Jasmine, who was now standing behind Doug. Her friend looked away for the moment, her face hardening. "I'm sorry Amy, I know it's hard to think about…"

"I-I just can't believe he'd do that. I…" She closed her hands and gazed strongly into his eyes. "I'll cooperate. Whatever you ask, whatever you need, I'm more than happy to help…"

"Well that's good, because it can also mean a lighter sentence for you."

"Yeah…and I'll plead guilty if I have to. Bob Duncan is a monster, I wish I never met him. He controlled everything. He attacked Jasmine even before we really knew each other, it was all him…everything…I only helped because I was blind. I didn't want to do half the stuff he had me doing."

"I see." He opened the folder and hung a pen above it. "Let's get started then, shall we…"

* * *

What do you think of this?


	32. Looking Up

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N: From this point on Teddy will go by her given birth name, _April_. To avoid confusion, it will change to that within both the narrative and dialogue.

* * *

Chapter 32 (Looking Up)

April clutched her books close to her chest as she walked through the halls of her new high school. She was frightened, nervous, and felt overall alone. PJ and Skyler were done with high school, so was Opal. So, how was she supposed to deal with the new school? If Ivy were here, she'd probably start dragging her everywhere and cracking jokes about how nervous she was.

She wanted to get her thoughts solely on the school even, if possible, but it was difficult. She was still shell shocked over the news that came during the weekend, the massacre at Kwikki Chikki. PJ was extremely distraught over the losses that occurred. They _had_ been his friends. He'd managed to contact Gravy on Sunday only to find that the boy would never walk again, the bullet that struck him completely tore through his sciatic nerve. Denver, right now, was a very bad place to be.

She stopped moving and glanced at the massive amount of people in the hallway. Her eyes dilated and her voice caught in her throat. What was she so nervous about? This was just like her _other_ school. "Hey, you look lost." She practically fell over, yelping in shock when someone addressed her. Spinning around, she saw a tall, attractive looking boy staring directly at her. With a nervous chuckle, April swept her hair over her shoulder. "I'm Rick."

"April…" He stood about six feet, had broad shoulders and big arms. Rick had shaggy brown hair, strong jaw, and was wearing a short sleeved shirt that accentuated his strong body. Her first thought was that he worked out. "I'm not usually shy, I'm just…I'm new." Rick rubbed his chin and gave a quick nod. Did he recognize her from the news? She was worried about that, people might turn away from her if they knew she was one of those missing children. "You uh…you haven't been watching the news lately, have you?" He lifted his eyebrows and shrugged his shoulders.

"Yeah, I've been following that abduction case for a criminology class I'm taking." She winced and bowed her head, she was afraid of this. Rick waved his hand in the air and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry about it." Her heart skipped a beat. Did it really _not_ matter to him that she was one of those abducted kids? "You know something? You should meet my sis, it's another friend for you to have."

"That would be nice…" She smiled at him and began following him. "So what's the school like? I know my cousin and a friend of mine came here, so…one's graduating and the other's already starting college." Rick nodded and glanced back over his shoulder.

"Well it's a good school. Mascot's the Raiders, we have pep rallies every Friday, and the teachers here are some of the best teachers around." That was a bit more appealing to her, at least she could be comfortable with the school. "You'll like it here, trust me."

"Seems nice. I guess I'm just nervous because of where I'm coming from."

"That can be hard, can't imagine how it must feel. It'll get better in time, though. Just take it one step at a time." She cheered up a bit and absorbed his words. It felt good to hear those from someone else. As they walked, April noted a girl standing by her locker with two other girls. She had short feathery brown hair, shimmering green eyes, and a pleasant face. Rick lifted his hand and called out to her. "Hey Mai, over here!" The girl looked over at her brother, her eyebrows rising up as she excused herself from her friends and walked over. "April, this is my sister. Mai, this is April, she's new here. I thought she could use a friend."

"Cool!" Mai enthused, not trying to scare April by being too excited. "Well welcome to the school. I recommend you find an activity or sport to be involved in though, everyone here is in something. Helps with scholarships, as well as being active." She could understand that, but had no clue what exactly she could do. "Stay away from cheerleaders because they can be a bit self-loving. Either way, my brother and I, also my friends, hang with us and you're fine!"

"Okay," April laughed. She was already beginning to feel a little more comfortable and less fearful of such a strange, new place. "Maybe I can get used to it here. Anyway, I'm a Junior, my brother's already graduated."

"Older brother too? Rick's a Senior, I'm the Junior in the family." Rick grinned triumphantly and Mai slowly looked towards him. "We're almost always one upping each other, it's fun competition. As his little sister, I have to make fun of him."

"I can understand that, it's almost like our obligation to tease and taunt our older brothers." Mai laughed in response. Now if PJ heard that, he'd likely try to come up with some kind of witty comeback.

Rick folded his arms over and smirked at the two. "Well, it's _our_ job as your older brother to get you back, such as…putting a fake snake and rattle under your pillow at night." Mai shuddered and lightly punched his shoulder, clearly he'd done this at some point of time. April watched the siblings with amusement, they reminded her a lot of how she and PJ were, and they were happy. Maybe she and PJ would be happy.

"One day Rick, I'm going to get you back for that!"

"Whatever you say little sis. I say we give April the grand tour of the school now, rather than standing around and poking fun at each other."

After school, April joined the two on a trip to see a Broadway show that her Aunt was performing in, she'd already been invited by Aunt Martha. They were meeting up with PJ at the show, and of course, she was certain he'd get along with them.

When they found PJ, he was headed backstage to meet up with Aunt Martha. Rick and Mai were allowed as well, so long as that was it, nobody else could be going back there. "Hey Aunt Martha." Martha was sitting in front of a mirror as the four moved up behind her. She turned to face them, smiling cheerfully, though she looked much different. She had a short brown wig and heavy acting makeup on. She was to play _Velma Kelly_ in the Broadway rendition of the musical _Chicago_. "I can't wait to see you in the Cell Block Tango part of the musical."

"You'll enjoy it, dear." Martha stood up from her seat and tapped her hand under Teddy's chin, still smiling softly. "Are you doing those vocal exercises?"

"Yes!" Since she'd come to New York, she practically begged her aunt to help teach her to sing, and perhaps one day _she_ could be on Broadway! Martha was a voice teacher on the side, and because April was her niece, she didn't charge her anything for the lessons. "Do you think I can be on Broadway one day?" It was something to look forward to, a goal that she _needed_ in these rough days.

Martha hugged her, her eyes sparkling in the light. "I think one day you can be. You'll just have to audition and all. If you do well and still have a desire to get on Broadway in a few years, I can give your name to many directors." April delighted in those words and struggled to keep herself from shouting out in joy.

"You'd do that?"

"Of course, knowing someone is the best way to get your foot in the door anyway." That time April cheered, bouncing just a bit. PJ chuckled and pat her back while Mai and Rick watched with amusement. "I think this is the happiest I've seen you, April dear."

"You'd be right," PJ joked, "I'm glad she's not brooding right now." April rolled her eyes and playfully smacked PJ's arm. She _couldn't_ be depressed right now, not when she saw good things happening in her future. Nightmares still came nightly of course, but that's why she and PJ were going to start seeing a therapist on Wednesday evenings.

"It's hard to be sad when you see positives," April remarked. "I mean…sure just a week ago I thought _everything_ was gone…" Now her goals were rising back up, all her dreams and hopes could potentially happen for her. She already met two great friends aside from the fact that one of them was _very _attractive. She didn't want to say that out loud, though. She had enough of dating for a while. "Now it just feels like everything's coming back. Somehow…I don't know if things will be okay in the future or not, but I think they will…"

"Just have to take it one step at a time," Rick remarked. "Time does heal everything, and when you're with friends and family that care about you, it helps quite a bit. The worst part of your hell may be past, you just have to go through the recovery part."

"It's hard not to worry about everyone in Denver, though. I don't want to mope, but I know that Bob's still out there…and the longer he's out there, the more he's going to terrorize that place…" Fortunately she wasn't there any longer, but by that same respect, she did worry still for Ivy and Emmett. She'd not heard from them in a while. "I think I'm going to call Ivy later, but first, when do you go on Aunt Martha?"

Martha finished powdering her face and glanced back with a smile. She started to speak when the director called out for their actors to be ready in ten. "Okay, I'll have to finish up here dear. You'll enjoy the show, I'm sure."

"Of course!" April hugged Martha with PJ. Once finished, they made their way to the seats that Martha had reserved for them, this play would be _epic_.

Back at the house, April lay on her bed, playing the performance over and over again in her head. Martha was stunning, and she could only_ dream_ of being up there on the stage like that. "One day," she breathed, "One day I'll be up there, and Aunt Martha will be proud of me too! I'll be happy, life will be good…" Was it too much for her to dream of though?

She reached for the phone on the end table beside her, thinking now of how much she wanted to talk to Ivy. She wanted to tell her how everything was going. She called her once or twice before, but Ivy hadn't answered, so hopefully she wasn't busy now.

After dialing, Ivy picked up, sounding happy to hear from her. "Hey Teddy, how's it going? Or, you're going by April now, aren't you?"

"Yeah."

"Right, PJ mentioned that to Emmett. Are things looking up for you?"

"In some ways…my Aunt is on Broadway and she's giving me voice lessons. One day, _I_ might be on Broadway!" Ivy gasped delightedly as April formed a very proud grin. "What about you guys? How are you and Emmett doing down in Denver?"

"Oh we're okay. We've seen better days…I'm still staying with his family, we're all getting ready to move though. That's why I haven't returned your last couple of calls, we've been really busy packing." She felt her heart begin drifting back into its gloom, she didn't want them to have to move, but maybe it was for the best. Ivy couldn't go any _father_ could she? "Grandma and Grandpa Heglin live in um…" Ivy paused for a minute, as if contemplating whether she really wanted to say this or not. With a deep sigh, she continued on. "Alaska."

April's eyes grew wide and a chill shot down her spine. Were they seriously going all the way to Alaska? What was in _Alaska_? "You're moving to _Alaska? _Okay, _why_? I mean, besides the grandparents…what is for you _there_?"

"Quietness, peacefulness…I don't know…there's not a whole lot of craziness there, and the grandparents are getting really old, they can't take care of themselves much more. Besides, that's where Emmett's dad grew up. I don't want to stay in Denver, there's nothing left here for me besides a psychopathic killer on the loose, so…I'm going."

"Right…well…You'll still tell me how it is when you get there, right?" She understood her friend's desire, her reasoning, and it made sense. Hopefully, Ivy would be happy.

"Of course I will, girl! Besides, when we get there, Emmett's lookinsg forward to getting involved with sled dog racing. So watching him attempt that should be fun." The girls laughed at the thought of Emmett trying to join those races. It wasn't that they thought he _couldn't_, but they just didn't know how he'd fare against the bitter chill wind. "Anyways, I have to go finish getting ready. We're moving this weekend."

"Okay Ivy. I hope the move goes well."

"Thanks. I _promise_ we'll talk more once we've moved and settled in."

"We will." April smiled as Ivy said her goodbyes and hung up. She did hope the best for her friend, and a place as quiet as Alaska, maybe things _would_ go well for her. She'd have to visit some day, if she ever got the chance to.

* * *

Some good things going on here, it would seem. Although, Ivy's moving to Alaska. At least they'll still keep in touch.


	33. Moment of Weakness and Vulnerability

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N: Here is the most crucial and pivotal chapter of Bob's psyche, pace yourself and pay attention to all that you can ^_^.

* * *

Chapter 33 (Moment of Weakness and Vulnerability)

Bob slammed the trunk of the car shut, breathing in slowly as he glazed up at the blue skies, his rage was turning them red. He still didn't understand it, the reason his anger hadn't left him quite yet. He shook his head and glanced down to the trunk, all of Robert's weapons were in there, or the important ones at least. He had an arsenal, truly.

Inside the trunk were duffel bags that held an AK-47, Uzis, Pistols, Shotguns, Snipers, Rifles, semi and full automatic weapons, Machine guns, Grenades and even guns with exploding bullets. He could truly be a one man army here. He would have grabbed the RPG from Robert's basement, but he didn't think he'd have anywhere to use it, nor was he able to grab it. The police had descended upon Robert's home pretty quickly after the massacre at Kwikki Chikki. He would move these bags into the backseat later, but for now, it was best to keep them in the trunk and drive carefully.

A lot of these weapons, Robert got from underground weapon shops. Although, being a military man gave him access to these weapons as well. Bob wasn't completely heartless as one might think, he had an affinity for animals and for babies. They were both innocent and sweet, pure-hearted and incapable of any wrongdoing. How he longed for that innocence, it passed him so long ago for him.

He slowly made his way into the car and begun driving, unsure of where he was headed next. As his mind started to spin, he became focused on one more person that he blamed for all this anger, for all this rage. If killing his mother didn't satiate his enormous rage, taking out Jasmine did nothing, and as many times as he passed the Brown home to find Michael gone, he still had one more person he could try and take out.

"Dad…" The word came out in a single breath, low and full of spite. This was the man that, while attempting to care, still had to spend all of his days working. This was the man that _ignored_ him from the age of four. _This_ was the man responsible for the _monster_ he had become. This man's days were numbered.

After several minutes of driving, he pulled up in front of an iron bar gate that separated him from his childhood family home. His father's ranch. He stepped out of the car and moved up to the gate, growling as he eyed the 'FD' initials in the center of the gate. Below the letters was a small keyhole. As he stared at the hole, he tried to recall where his father kept the spare key at.

Within a minute, he was on the large brown brick wall to the left, pulling out one of the loose bricks. Inside the space rested the large black key, hidden beneath the leaves and dirt. Chuckling to himself, he grabbed the key and moved back to the keyhole. "Dumbass still keeps the key in the same place after all these years…I can't believe it…" He couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched, and kept looking over his shoulder as he unlocked the door. He thought he saw something that looked like a tiny camera attached to the leg of the owl statue beside the gate, but he ignored it as just a speck of dirt. "Well pops, nothing says 'I'm home' like a pistol round to the back of the head…"

Once he opened the gate, he returned to his car and grabbed the pistol and rounds of ammunition. He had enough clips to last him quite some time should anything go wrong. Nothing would go wrong.

Slowly he drove through the gate and down the path towards the small brown home with the covered patio. On the patio was a wooden rocking chair next to the door. He had to swallow the feeling of sadness coming up through him, as many childhood memories were weighing down on his mind. He may have made the wrong decision to return to his childhood home, but it wouldn't matter. He would merely sneak in, shoot his father, and leave. It was so simple.

A tear came to his eyes as he remembered collecting the eggs from the chicken coop, and gathering milk from the cow on the ranch. That cow was named Daisy, after the ice cream cow. When he was last on the ranch, that sweet cow had a calf, but that was years ago. Off to his right, he could see the chicken coop, the door was shut, but the nostalgic sound of their clucking danced in his ears. To his left were two pens, one with three horses, and the other with two grown cows and one calf. He smiled at yet another memory of his youth, when he would ride the horse on the ranch with his father carefully guiding the horse along.

Amid the distraction, a shot rang out, followed by the sound of shattering glass. Bob screamed in pain as the windshield splintered and cut his arms and hands. Thinking fast, his mind immediately returning to reality, he leapt out of the car and ducked behind it. "Get off my ranch!" Frank Duncan shouted from the patio. His eyes widened and he slowly poked his head above his car, Frank was standing on the patio next to a Bloodhound and German Shepherd, he was clutching tightly to a shotgun.

"Shit!" Frank whistled and the German Shepherd started charging from the patio. Bob's eyes grew large and he quickly charged for the horse pen. He couldn't shoot a dog, he would never hurt an innocent animal! "What are you _doing_, Dad!" He climbed the fence and looked back as the dog started to jump the wooden pen. Thinking fast, he jumped onto the Clydesdale horse. The dog managed to get in and started charging for his heel. "No! No, bad dog! Bad!" He kicked his foot back and forth, whimpering as the dog kept snapping at it, missing frequently.

"Okay Luke, stand down." Luke quickly sat and glared at him, which scared the living hell out of him. His heart was racing and blood was still gushing from his arms. He looked up as Frank moved to the edge of the pen, he had his hands on the gun, which was now pointed to the ground. "I have cameras set up everywhere, son. You are trespassing on my property."

"You'd kill your own son?" Frank's eyes softened for a moment and he closed his eyes, sighing in vain.

"No…but if it meant the good of the city, I might have to. You could just turn yourself in." Immediately he flared up with rage and shifted his gun towards Frank.

"Never! I'm not going to jail, and I'm not going to get caught! I came here to kill you, and that's exactly what I'm going to do!" Frank quickly ducked down as Bob pulled the trigger. The shot missed and nearly struck the rooster that was walking around. He cursed himself and pulled his gun back some, realizing he needed to be more careful with his shooting. Frank rose up and aimed his shotgun.

"Son, you should know better than to shoot at me. I was a military man before I was a Lawman. You want to think twice before pulling that trigger."

"Fuck you! You were never around for me!" He fired another shot at his father and hopped off the horse, fleeing over the other side of the pen. He looked over his shoulder and saw Luke being called off by his father, who once more avoided the shot.

"Never around? I was always around trying to take care of you, you're the one that withdrew when your mother left! But we're not talking about the past right now, Son…let's talk about your crimes…"

Bob jumped behind a tree and clenched his eyes shut as another shotgun blast rang out. He felt the tree shake from the bullets and started to whimper, he hated shootouts to be honest. Kwikki Chikki happened so fast that he didn't have to think about it, plus there was someone else with him to make it easier. One on one shootouts were the worst, because there was a fifty-fifty chance of death.

He blindly held his arm from the tree and fired three shots, unsure of where the bullets would strike. He knew his father had extremely accurate aim, maybe the years marred that aim a little, but the man would always be a good shot. Hell, it was Frank who taught _him_ to shoot a gun. Granted, BB guns at first, but either way he learned to shoot a gun from his old man.

"Make this easier on yourself and on me, turn yourself in!"

"Never!" The _last_ thing he wanted was to rot away in some jail cell. He'd always been afraid of prisons, ever since he was a little kid. He'd seen what a prison was like when he was only thirteen. He vandalized someone's car and his father allowed for him to sit in jail overnight. It was the _worst_ experience of his life. He'd never forget the smell of blood, sweat, and bodily odor, nor would he forget the sounds of people striking the steel bars with whatever they had. People screamed in prison, fought in prison, and it was far too much for him.

Then there was the second time he'd been in a jail cell, when apparently Amy pissed off that officer on Charlie's birthday. He had the hardest time trying to suppress the nightmarish memories and to remain calm. "That's unacceptable, son."

"Screw you, Dad!" He bolted from the tree, charging for another tree just ten feet away. He stopped in the middle and turned around, lifting his gun up. Frank was in plain sight, rushing towards him. Frank stopped and leapt behind a large rock as Bob pulled the trigger. "Damn it!" He growled and continued to the tree. Somehow Frank was still agile in his old age. Then again, many people could still be active when they were nearly eighty, it just required continuous exercise. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"Watch your lip, boy! How many times have I told you that?"

"More than I care for!" Growing up a teenager, he'd often said many colorful things, and Frank was always there to tell him to shape up. His father never struck him, but at least the man disciplined him. "By the way, I killed the man that Mom cheated on you with!"

"I saw that story, Bob…You've really become dangerous…I'm _not_ proud of that."

"You never were! You never were!"

"I was always proud of you, I told you that a million times!" His eyes glazed over and his body trembled. Where had he been when his father said these things? His mind had always been elsewhere. "When Linda left, you shut me out, you shut _everyone_ out. Don't blame others for what you did to yourself, Son…I _tried_ to be a father to you, but _you_ never let me in."

"Screw you!" He fired off one more shot, then charged for the house. He looked back to see his father aiming the shotgun at him once more. Frank's left sleeve had a tear through it, a bullet grazed him. He _actually_ got a hit! He swelled with pride, but a guilty sorrow at the same time. Thinking fast, he slammed a fist through the window of the home and climbed inside, wincing only as shotgun pellets struck the wall beneath him. "Fuck you, Dad!"

"Son! I'm not going to kill you, you know that, but quit running!" Bob stuck his head out the window and growled.

"Quit trying to stop me!" He knew his father would eventually _have_ to kill him, since death was the only way he was ever going to stop. "Dad, I thought for sure you'd be proud of me for taking out the ones who hurt you!" Frank narrowed his eyes and lowered his gun for a brief moment.

"You really are that far gone…can nothing reach you? I've never felt more sorrow for you than I've felt now…"

"I don't want your pity or your sorrow!" Bob pressed his back against the wall and whimpered. He was bleeding everywhere and sweat was pouring down his body. How much more could he take of this? Not only was he fighting his own father, he was fighting off every childhood memory this place had to offer, and it was killing him. "No. No I can't be weak, I'm _not_ weak. I'm strong."

His father's head poked up in the window, and he spoke with a low growl. "A strong man would not do such crimes that you've done. If you want to be strong, you'll turn yourself in at least."

"You'll have to kill me first, Dad, because I'm not _going_ to turn myself in!" He snapped the pistol towards Frank, who quickly ducked away from the window. Panting, he changed the clip and started moving through the room. He looked to his left and saw a small bed with a black cat standing on it, arching its back. The cat reminded him of that beautiful blue eyed, black kitten that he used to play with on the ranch all the time when he was about ten years old.

"Nikita…" His heart swelled at the memory. When he was young, Nikita would purr and rub against his leg, but she was small enough for him to hold in his hands and cradle. She was the sweetest kitten. One day, when he was about seventeen, that kitten jumped the gate and ran off, he and his father spent weeks searching for her, but never found her again.

_"We're never going to find her, Dad!"_

_ "Keep the optimism up, she'll have to turn up sometime. Cats have nine lives, Son."  
"You're lying. You're always lying! You don't care about her!"_

_ "Son…" The pain in the man's voice was clear, but Bob's only concern was the cat. He slammed the door and walked off, wiping his tears. Frank spent the next few weeks searching for the cat, alone._

Tears ran down his face as he stepped forward and spread his arms out. "Nikita come here…" Of course, this was clearly not the same cat. Bob's eyes widened as the cat yowled and jumped onto him, clawing his face and chest. "No! Get off me! Oh god!"

He fell to the floor with a loud thud and started rolling around, grabbing at the cat and trying to pull her off. After a minute, the cat jumped back to the bed and held its glare on him. He let his arms fall out to his sides and stared up at the ceiling, sobbing lightly. "Figures…" He slowly sat up and wiped his eyes. "Used to be my room…my bedroom…" It still looked the same as it did when he was young. The twin bed with brown covers, the wooden walls with the family pictures hanging all over, the maple dresser, and the tiny brown TV stand with the old television and antennas. "Dad never changed anything."

He looked back at the window and slowly stood up, his father must have gone through the front door. He carefully opened the bedroom door and peered out, quickly the nostalgic smell of eggs and bacon came to his nose. He knew it couldn't be, since it was in the afternoon, but he blamed the smell on the memories. As when he was growing up, his father _always_ made breakfast with three maple covered pancakes that were topped by two fried eggs with two strips of bacon under them, almost like a smiley face.

Never once did he tell his father he appreciated the gesture. He'd been blind to the truth that his father _had_ been there for him, constantly trying to make things right. He'd only been called off to work on a regular basis, but this was needed.

"Don't make me do this, son!" Frank's voice called out from the living room. "No father wants to do this!"

"Screw you, Dad…just…screw you." He stepped out of the bedroom and saw Frank standing on the front end of a red couch. Bob had already changed the clip in his gun and quickly shot at his father once more. The man ducked down and the bullet ripped through the couch. He continued shooting in a blind rage.

The shooting only ceased when the television turned on. Frank must have grabbed the remote, but why would he turn on the television? Tears stung him as his heart shot through his chest once again at another age old memory.

_"Son, I got you that Atari you wanted. Maybe you'd like to try it out?"_

_ "Whatever, Dad…" _

_ "I'm hooking it up now. I sure don't want to try it out by myself. I know you can't resist…come on, give your father some credit." _

_ "Whatever…"_

It hadn't been long before the two of them were playing that Atari together and laughing as they played some of the very first video games. It, like watching television sitcoms together, had become a big part of their lives. He felt his knees beginning to buckle, but quickly shook away the sharp memory.

Frank was on the move again, trying to get closer to him. "Son please, consider your life…"

"A life in prison _sucks_ dad." He sprang forward, shooting past his father, and running for the back door. Frank lifted his eyes skyward and called out to him.

"It's better than death!"

"I'll be on death row anyway father!" He stopped at the door and glared back at his father, firing another shot at him. Frank ducked behind a wall as the bullet nicked the doorframe. He heard the shotgun clicking and took a step back, trembling. "No…think about what's better, Father! Rotting away in a smelly, frightening jail cell with no life whatsoever, leading only to execution by whatever the hell they choose? Or…or living a life free to do whatever, to die an old man?" Frank growled and shook his head.

"You gave up that right when you decided to kidnap those three babies! You gave up that right when you threw that woman from the hospital! You gave up that right when you killed your mother and the Police Chief, son! You will have to live with that one way or another, constantly being hunted and followed by the law enforcement in this country. You'll _never_ be free, son! Think about that! I don't want to see you die so soon, now obviously, you're my son…so I'm telling you to turn yourself in so you don't _have _to die before your time!"

"I'm _not going to prison,_ Dad! Fuck that!" He bolted from the back door, still sobbing.

"Bob Duncan!"

He ran along a gravel stone path and stopped immediately when he stepped into a square area with bushes bordering it. Smack dab in the center was a small wooden cross on it with a large picture in the center. He gasped out and instantly fell to his knees, sobbing as he reached for the cross. This was it, his weakest, most vulnerable moment.

The picture was of him at only eleven years old, and he was holding up a tiny puppy to his face, laughing happily. The puppy was a tiny beagle, runt of the litter, and it was barking happily in the photo. They named that dog _Zipper_, because he loved to zip back and forth. He'd chase after cars, chase after the horses, and even play with the chickens. At nights, he'd sleep in Bob's bed, nestled up against his chest. The sweetest dog ever.

When Bob was sixteen, he dated a woman named Katherine, the same girl whose daughter PJ had once been intrigued by. One thing he never told anyone, not even Amy, was he had a young child with Katherine. A baby that passed just months after it was born. The baby died from SIDS, and the relationship with Katherine had been marred, they split with no chance of hooking back up. It was Zipper that was constantly at his side after that, taking care of him.

Then tragedy struck one night when the sweet dog got out of the gate. He was chasing some burglars from the house and Frank was at work, leaving Bob asleep on the bed. When he heard Zipper barking, it awoke him and caused him to rush out of the house calling for him. When he noticed the gate open, he ran for it, only to see the robbers getting into their car and Zipper still barking at them. Then when the robbers started up the car, the sweet pup got caught beneath their front right tire. Bob's worst nightmare had come true as the people drove off. He ran for his dog and held him close, weeping over his limp body until his father returned home.

_ Together we buried Zipper…and held a memorial for him each week._

Those memorials stopped after a while for him, and he decided he was 'too old' to hold those weekly memorials. His father, of course, never stopped.

His weeping stopped only when he heard the shotgun clicking behind him. He saw his father's shadow on the ground and froze, Frank was holding the barrel just inches from his back. "For the love of God, don't make me pull this trigger son. Not now, not here, and certainly…not in front of Zipper. He died protecting this house, this family, died protecting _you_…"

"I-I know, Dad." His voice choked a bit and his eyes clenched shut. Nothing could ever replace Ol' Zip, and nothing ever would. "He was loyal, sweet, innocent, loving…everything that…everything that I'm not." It is in man's most vulnerable moments that they are reminded of the most basic and raw emotions within themselves. "When that baby died, when Katherine left, Zip was always at my side. No matter what, and the one time I took my eyes off him…he was gone."

"He would have wanted you to live on. Don't let his sacrifice be in vain, son. Just…turn yourself in. That's all. The judge may at least give you twenty to thirty more years…."

He scoffed and wiped his eyes. "Yeah right…I'd be executed in ten years, and you know it. Hell, I wouldn't be surprised if Dooley puts me in front of a firing squad in just weeks after my arrest."

"Son, it's better than the road you're on. At least you can still save yourself, and maybe even…save your soul. You're all I have left in this world."

"Whatever."

He had two siblings, but they were never mentioned. One was his sister, she had been older by several years. When Linda left, she took that child with her, and Bob hadn't seen or heard from her since. Then there was the one that was four years younger than he was, but the baby was stillborn.

"Shooting me now or me getting put on death row to die later, what's the difference, pops?"

"The difference is, I still have more time with my son."

"Pretty fucking selfish of you, eh Dad?"

"Either option is good for the city of Denver, Bob."

"Right…_Denver_…" He chuckled softly and slowly stood up, holding his hands up in the air. He had no desire for capture, so his father's pleas were truly falling on deaf ears. When he turned around, his father was still holding the gun towards him, but he also had a phone up to his ear. Bob's eyes widened and panic stabbed him like a double edged sword, the man was calling the cops! "Fuck that, Dad! No way! No way in hell!"

"Son?" He delivered a hard blow into his father's abdomen and ran back into the house. Frank let out a loud shout and ran after him, but he was faster. "Come on!"

Just as he made his way out the front door, he heard a gunshot ring out, then a sharp pain tore into his left leg. He ignored it for the most part, riding on adrenaline, until he got into his car. Thinking fast, he slammed his foot on the gas and charged from the ranch, cussing rapidly and looking off to the rearview mirror. His father was on the patio, brandishing and aiming his shotgun. Frank let out one final shot that shattered the back windshield of the car, but didn't strike Bob.

He took a sharp turn and kept raising the speed on his car. He knew the layout of this area well enough to know just where to go to avoid running into any cops.

Once he was safely driving up a nearby mountain, the same mountain that lead up to the 'lover's peak' that used to be around when he was a kid, he could breathe safely again. He parked his car all the way at the top and looked down at his left leg, it was burning and bleeding profusely, but the wound itself wasn't so deep. The bullet had only hit muscle.

He removed his shirt and started wrapping it tightly around his leg, wincing in pain as the muscles constricted around the bullet. He couldn't believe of all people, his _father_ managed to land a shot on him. _No one_ had ever gotten that close! _Nobody!_

As he slipped out of the car, limping towards the back, he gazed out off the mountain and frowned. He could see in the distance, the several cop cars and paramedics down at his father's ranch. He'd been stupid to go there, it was a _mistake._ These things needed to be dealt with a lot more carefully than this.

Up in the sky, he could hear the roar of a chopper passing over him and moving towards the ranch house. He'd parked beneath the cover of several trees, so no one could spot him from above.

He grabbed his sniper from the trunk and leaned over the car, steadying the gun and looking through the scope. When he zoomed in on his aim, he could clearly see his father talking with Interim Chief Dooley. He steadied his finger on the trigger and narrowed his eyes, swallowing hard as he continued to watch his father.

If he took the shot now, it would be all over. His father would be gone. His heart was racing and his gut churned inside. He wanted to fire so badly, but something was holding him back. What was it?

Just then, the knot in his stomach took a sharp, painful twist. A woman, just a few years older than him, with feathery blonde hair was walking up and hugging Frank, who looked completely shocked. A man, the same age, followed after her. Bob moved his scope to a small blue van where four people were piling out of. One was a thirty year old man with sandy blonde hair, another were two women in their twenties, and then a teenage boy. The older woman's children, no doubt.

Then another woman, the same age as the eldest child, came up next to him. She was holding a young infant in her arms, and a young boy stood beside her while holding onto his shirt.

Chief Dooley looked proud of himself, as though he'd just reunited Frank with his family. It had to be, that older woman looked like an older version of the sister he remembered from his youth.

With tears burning his cheeks, he withdrew the sniper and fell with his back to the car. He couldn't do it, he couldn't kill his old man. "Shit…" He was _weak_. He'd let his love of animals, he'd let children, affect his goal. This _couldn't_ happen. He _couldn't _be weak like this! No, he would find a way around this. Maybe killing his father was the wrong way to go about it.

As he gazed over his shoulder, he thought of Chief Dooley. He took out _one_ chief, maybe sending a message by taking out another wouldn't be hard to do, but that would require careful and meticulous planning.

* * *

So wow. Your thoughts?


	34. Calm Before the Storm

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N: From this point on Teddy will go by her given birth name, _April_. To avoid confusion, it will change to that within both the narrative and dialogue.

* * *

Chapter 34 (Calm Before the Storm)

Gabe and Denise were playing on their handheld consoles in the backseat of the family van. They were connected together through a networking multiplayer game, teaming up as they went on some adventure. In the front, Michael and Nicole chatted on about the opportunity given to them by Amy Duncan. She wanted, when the new baby was to be born, for them to adopt it.

In all honesty, Gabe was excited for that opportunity. He'd never thought Amy would suggest something like that, but maybe she'd seen the light, he didn't know. The family vacation had been fun as well, and it was good news to hear that the Booths would be adopting Charlie. He would miss her, sure, but all that was important was she would be safe and happy.

It was the eighteenth and they were finally headed home. He was a little concerned, since while they were out, their dad _had_ been regularly called by Dooley as an update on the situation. Not only was Dooley now the Interim Chief, Michael was to be upped to the Deputy Chief of Police. "Do you think going back to Denver right now is the best choice?" Nicole asked, "The maniac is still out there."

"We don't really have much of a choice, the way I see it. I have to be there now, since the Chief has passed." It was true. As much as it sucked, Gabe understood his father needed to adhere to his job in cases like this. "I will be meeting up with Doug soon, and we'll be going over a plan of action."

Gabe looked up from his console and smiled vaguely. "Dad's right, we have to get back, even if it's a scary thought. I have faith that the police will get Bob." In truth, he felt as though Bob would be caught soon, very soon. It wasn't possible for people to keep running forever, especially if they couldn't leave the city they were in. "Amy's been brought in, so what if the police tried to use that? Use Amy to set him up for a trap…"

"Wouldn't work," Denise answered. "I don't think Bob seems like the type of person that would fall for a trick that simple."

Michael parked at a light and glanced back at the kids, giving them a slight smile. "Well…that is true. It would seem his biggest fear is getting caught. Still, I'd like you guys not to focus _too_ much on this case." Denise always said their dad liked to gather input if at all possible, but when it came to the high profile cases, he didn't usually gather any insight from her.

"Okay Dad."

"Let's get back to the game, Sis." Denise nodded and the twins returned to their consoles. Gabe _did_ have a few nightmares where his father was concerned, and he would often talk about them. Sometimes, he preferred keeping them inside, though. One nightmare consisted of their returning home to find Bob waiting for them. "Can't wait to get back home and get some rest."

"We still have a little bit of homework left to finish, Gabe."

"Yeah, that's true." The school had been really great and understanding in regards to the circumstances, and the teachers a great help. They sent assignments and lectures in, recorded their lectures for them, and let the twins do the homework and send it back in. As long as they did it, the teachers would keep doing their part. "I guess we'll be getting back to school on Monday. Can't wait to see Jo again."

"It's only been a couple days." She teased him with a laugh. His cheeks burned and his shoulders rose.

Jo had gone home a few days earlier, her father bought her a plane ticket back. She had been feeling a little sick, which was unfortunate. "So? I still miss her. Hope she's feeling better."

"Yeah, I like her, she's fun. Maybe not as fun as your beloved sister, but still she's fun." Denise stuck her tongue out and nudged him playfully. He could do without the teasing and the taunting, but no matter. She looked up to Michael as the light changed. "So it's true, we'll be getting a baby brother or sister?"

"Yes," he answered, "Amy's apparently been feeling guilty. I'm not sure how much I like the idea of raising another child through childhood at my age, but it's doable." Nicole laughed and smacked his arm. They knew Michael was looking forward to this as much as anyone else. It was an exciting time, and something Gabe never honestly believed would actually come up. How was he to know Amy would have a heart and try to make amends by giving up her baby?

"Dad, you're not fooling anyone."

"I suppose not." He flashed a toothy grin at the kids. "We'll have to see what happens when she does give birth to the child. Doug says they have her constantly checking up with a doctor to make sure the baby's still okay." Hopefully Amy wouldn't change her mind before the child was born, but would it matter much? She wouldn't get the baby herself, so it would have to go to _someone_.

Amy's trial would begin soon, along with Mrs. Dabney, who still had the accessory charge. It was easy to tell though, _she_ wouldn't get many years in prison. However Amy, everyone seemed to know just how many years she might get. She was pleading guilty, so she would avoid the death penalty. She cooperated with the police, so there was chance of parole, but it was not hard to see that she would still be given life.

"I still think Bob should be sent to maximum security," Denise remarked with a subtle smirk. Gabe felt a shiver down his spine and quickly nodded his agreement. She frowned and looked over at him. "A monster like that…" Gabe shook his head and returned to the game, trying to forget thoughts of that man.

"I'd opt for a firing squad, to be honest." Too bad death by firing squad was unlikely, Bob might only get the needle. He never saw the needle as a very strong method of death, his favorite had always been the electric chair. "Maybe we should send him to a country that would put him in front of one of those!" Denise snickered in response, but at least she didn't seem to disagree. Hell, she'd probably be one to devise even more torturous methods.

"Have you ever read Dante's Inferno? The guy is a genius."

"Yeah I've heard of it." He had to do some essay on it a year or two back. He found it intriguing, all the different layers of hell. Now that Denise brought it up, he was wondering how Bob would fare going through those levels of hell, certainly he'd be reserved for the deepest and darkest pits. "You think all that is real though? Hell has all those levels and layers to it?"

"I don't know, it's fun to imagine sometimes. I certainly wouldn't want to be the one having to deal with all those levels."

"Yeah, me either."

There were nine circles of Hell, according to Dante's Inferno. The first was Limbo, where those that were not baptized or virtuous pagans, though not sinners. The next circle was lust, the "carnal malefactors" who were the first to truly be punished. The third circle of hell was Gluttony, and then the fourth was Greed. Then one would delve into the fifth circle of Hell, Anger, where the wrathful fight each other for eternity and the sullen lie gurgling beneath the water where they can find no joy in God, man, or the universe. The sixth circle was Heresy where those residing within that circle are encased forever within flaming tombs. The seventh circle was violence, divided into three rings. The outer ring pertained to those violent against people or property, they were immersed in a river of boiling blood and fire. The middle ring pertained to those violent against themselves, and then the inner circle was for those violent against God or nature. The eighth circle consisted of fraudulent ones, and then the ninth and final circle belonged to those who involved in treachery.

Finally, in the very center of Hell was Satan himself, condemned for the ultimate sin, personal treachery against God. Dante describes him as a giant, terrifying beast with three faces, one red, one black, and one a pale yellow. He is said to be waist deep in ice, weeping tears from his six eyes, and beating his six wings as though trying to escape, although an icy wind would only cause him to remain imprisoned. Within each mouth of Satan was a man being gnawed upon, Brutus and Cassius, who killed Julius Ceasar, and finally Judas Iscariot.

Of all these circles of Hell, Gabe wasn't too sure which one Bob would fit into. All his crimes, all his sins, surely he'd have to pass through each circle, save Gluttony. Satan may even have to make a whole new circle just for him! Not that something like that would ever actually happen.

"In all honesty, Denise…I don't care _what_ happens to him in the afterlife."

"True, he probably won't even die for long time…not that I would wish that on someone, I just…I don't know…" He smiled at her and reached over, pulling her into a one armed hug. He knew how she felt about the whole thing, that she hated Bob for screwing up her family and she was likely conflicted about her thoughts. She was raised up to believe in forgiveness and never to wish poorly for another human being, but at the same time, it was _so hard_ to do that with Bob.

"I'm just glad we're finally a family again. I think that's all that's really important."

"Yeah…yeah you're right." Her lips curled up and she quickly hugged him back. A tear fell from her eye as she squeezed him tight. "That's all that's important. You're safe and there's no way that I, mom, or Dad, are letting you go. Even Amato will bark at any opportunity to separate us." His heart started to swell up with pride and joy. She was right, nothing could separate them.

"Just like PJ and Teddy, siblings are forever." And interestingly enough, each sibling had been in the Duncan home, all four in danger from Bob at one point or another. PJ and April, Gabe and Denise, they would be inseparable through the strong sibling bond they shared. Bob Duncan no longer scared them.

Once home and packed, the twins went straight for the bedroom to finish up their homework and get some rest. Nicole lounged on the couch with the pup, while Michael sat beside her and shifted through the television. He had his arm over her and gazed down with a smile as she rested her head on his lap. The dog, lying at her chest, had begun licking his fingers. "It is good to be home," he whispered. "I love you, honey."

"I love you too sweetheart." She cuddled Amato closer and closed her eyes. "We have our children, our little dog, and our home full of laughter again…Gabe and Denise are right, that's all that really matters. I just…I hope Bob's caught soon, and we won't have to worry about him ever again."

"Yeah." It was disheartening to think that Bob was still out there. More murders had taken place in the last few days, namely Danny, the guy that shot the commercial which brought Gabe back to them. He'd been shot and killed, it was assumed that Bob might have had something to do with it. Doug also informed him that several of Bob's friends that he'd investigated had either been murdered or killed themselves somehow. Bob was running out of allies as much as he was running out of time. "We'll catch him, Nicole. I promise you, he _will_ be stopped."

"When are you going to go meet Doug?"

"About an hour…we're heading over to this coffee shop with his Lieutenant. We're going to discuss our next plan of action."

"All right. Take the van, just in case…if Bob's out there and knows we're back…I think he knows what your car looks like."

"Right." The van was parked next to the red Nissan Altima, a new car he purchased not so long ago. They knew Bob had been around his house, as he'd gone over his home security footage, so chances were, Bob would be looking out for that car. "His days are numbered."

* * *

So Bob's been hanging around, huh? Well, hopefully the police meeting goes well. What do you all think? (Prepare, this chapter really is the calm before the storm).


	35. This is War!

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N: From this point on Teddy will go by her given birth name, _April_. To avoid confusion, it will change to that within both the narrative and dialogue.

* * *

Chapter 35 (This is War!)

Michael rolled up to the café, _Panera Bread_, and stepped out of the van. He looked over in the parking lot to see Doug and his Lieutenant, Murphy, standing outside their black patrol car. "Sorry I'm a little late, got caught up helping the kids with homework." There was a heavy and unsettling feeling rising from his gut, but he couldn't place a finger on what was causing it. Something was telling him to find another place to eat, and fast.

Doug smiled at him and started walking, meeting him in between the two cars. "It's fine, as long as you're here, we're good." Michael nodded and looked up to the restaurant, he usually tried to avoid cafés these days. Mostly, it was due to the experiences he'd had in the past with nearly being killed at these places. "You beat the other officers that were supposed to be here."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, this is more a meeting we're having on what to do in regards to Bob. This problem is getting out of control. _Way_ out of control…" He saw anger flash across his friend's face and swallowed his own frustration. For him, he wasn't as afraid of Bob killing him as he was afraid for his family, and all the families out there. "In the last few days, Bob has not only attempted to kill his father, but he's killed the manager of Reddie Mart, killed the man that shot that commercial, killed at least four of his former friends that I've investigated…I've put the rest in safe homes…tell me Michael, when you drove here, did you see anyone out on the road?"

"There were a few cars." Less than he'd ever seen, it had been a highly unsettling scene on the drive to the café. Usually the streets were packed, but he would have been lucky to see _twenty_ cars on the road. "Have you placed an order for the residents to stay in their homes?"

"I have, but not before they started doing it themselves, Mike. Bob Duncan has the whole of Denver _terrified_ of him. He's going after anyone that's a threat to him, or even Amy. His most recent victims…the Walsh family…"

"What?"

"Someone let it slip that Amy's prosecuting lawyer was Paul Walsh. He was found yesterday with a gunshot wound in the back of his head. His son is currently under extreme protection in the hospital, he was shot a couple times and is in a full vegetative state. Can't move his arms or legs."

"The mother?"

"She's fine, she wasn't at the house when the attack went down, apparently." Michael could feel his heart rushing against his chest. He knew Doug was right, this was getting too out of hand. "I hope your family's safe. After this meeting, we'll send someone out to them."

"Sounds good to me…" As the cool wind rushed against him in this amazingly chill air, he slowly looked up to the sky. How could it be so cool in the middle of May? Dark clouds were covering up the sun and blotting out the blue sky. "Looks like rain." The last of their concerns, truly. Behind them, five patrol cars pulled up to park. Each car was filled with some of the higher ranked members of the force. He really hoped that nobody knew they were meeting here. "Doug, does anyone outside of the force know about this meeting?"

"Shouldn't be…why?"

"I don't know, just something I feel…" He scoffed to himself and waved a hand in the air. "Never mind."

"Only my secretary, Mike…she's known for a few days now, she's had to put it down on schedule."

"Has Bob given you any signs that he might be going after you?"

"Of course, he'd likely go after anyone who was trying to kill him. Let's get inside." In his experience, Bob would try just about anything. If he was trying to get to Doug, then surely, even the secretary wasn't safe. The man, being as controlling and manipulative of women as he was, could easily get information out of that secretary. Criminal profiling was not hard to do, and putting himself in Bob's shoes, he knew just what the man would try.

If he were in Bob's shoes, he'd want to send a message out to scare people. He'd want to take out the Interim Chief and driving force behind his capture. In order to do that, he'd need to know everything about Doug. How to do that, figure out his schedule, and the only way to do that was to go after the secretary.

All the police officers started moving inside. Together, aside from Doug and Mike, there was the new commander of the force. Four captains, three Lieutenants, besides Murphy, and two Sergeants. Michael was certain that if Bob knew of this meeting by way of that secretary, he would know all these high ranks would be here, and what a perfect way it would be to use them all to send a message and cripple the ranks of the police department by taking them all out.

When they entered inside, Michael's eyes drifted to a large built man at the front counter. He was wearing a black cowboy hat, wearing black shades, had a plaid dress shirt and dark blue jeans tucked inside two large cowboy boots. He looked like a normal, average patron, but something was of. The man was chatting with another patron at the counter, both sipping on cups of coffee. The man turned his head to the officers and lifted his hand, waving and smiling brightly at them.

Doug waved back almost nonchalantly, considering he was not in the best of moods at the moment. Michael scratched his head and turned his attention to the cashier. As they stepped up, he studied her body language. Something was off about her, she seemed terrified of something. Her body was tense, her eyes were darting about the room on occasion, and she simply would not make eye contact with any of the officers.

"Can I take your orders?"

"Yes," Doug replied. "Your best coffee all around, I'd like a bagel with cream cheese on the side."

"Same," Michael remarked without taking his eyes off the cashier. He noticed her blonde hair was a mess, as if she'd undergone something insanely stressful. What would be more stressful than meeting a criminal? He pushed the thought from his mind, it made no sense. He started to reach for the coffee cups, but stopped when the woman moved her hand over and stopped on his wrist. She smiled vaguely and lifted her shoulders.

"Oh please, let me get you fine officers your coffee. Your meals are free as well." He raised an eyebrow and Doug shrugged it off. Though, he could see his friend was starting to grow a bit suspicious as well, while none of the other officers there were. "I know how much trouble the Denver Police has been going through, so it would be an honor for me to serve all of you." He withdrew his hand and narrowed his eyes instinctively.

"Okay…thank you ma'am."

"I'll have your coffee out in a few minutes." The officers thanked her and moved towards the large square lobby with the various booths, and a leather sectional couch in the corner. Michael, Doug, and Murphy took a seat at the table in the center of it all. Michael leaned met Doug's eyes and began tapping his fingers anxiously on the table.

"Something isn't right here, Doug. When did you last talk to your secretary?"

"She called in yesterday, said she couldn't come to work. So I haven't seen her for about two days now. Anyway, I agree, something feels off to me." Doug turned his gaze to the counter and smoothed his finger along his chin. "Did you notice the man in the cowboy hat?"

"Yeah, he's been watching us. Keeps looking over at all of us from time to time…" In fact, all of this felt like Déjà vu to him. His mind was flashing back to the waiter he had some years ago when he was poisoned before. The waitress was sending off the same signals of trouble, had the same body language, and also insisted on offering a free meal and coffee.

Within minutes, the server returned to the officer with her coffee. Michael's attention was on the cowboy at the counter, who was watching the officers with a smug grin. He tore his eyes from the man and finally met the waitress's gaze. She looked at him apologetically, her eyes drifting from him to the coffee, and back to him. His heart sank as both Murphy and Doug grabbed their cups and thanked the waitress.

The cowboy's smile seemed to increase as Doug started moving the cup towards his lips. Michael's heart palpitated and sweat began running down the side of his face. He looked out at the other officers in the room, some were not touching their coffee yet, in the midst of conversation. Others were eyeing their coffee as though debating whether they really wanted to drink or not. At least two others, the Sergeant ranks, were bringing up the coffee as well. The commander was reaching for his cup.

Pain struck his chest as he relived the pain of being poisoned from that drink. He'd come so close to death that he swore he would never forget how it felt. Both waitresses flashed in his mind, both apologetic, both tense and fearful. The sense of danger was hitting him like never before, but he was certain now, there was something in that coffee!

"Don't drink the coffee!" He put his hand to Doug's wrist, causing him to drop the cup onto the floor and spill it. Doug let out a shout and quickly rose up from his seat as Murphy and the two Sergeants sipped their cups. The Commander stopped his cup just inches from his lips and peered over with concern. "I've been poisoned by Bob Duncan before, all the signs here are the same…" In that instant, Murphy and the two Sergeants grabbed their throats. Michael's eyes grew large and Doug started cursing while the other officers leapt out of their chairs, catching the men as they fell from their seats.

They all followed Michael's gaze to the cowboy, who shouted out a curse and started towards the door. The waitress pushed him back and took his hat and shades, revealing him to be the very man they'd been hunting all this time. "It's him!" Doug exclaimed. "Bob Duncan!"

"He forced me to poison all of you!" The waitress screeched. Bob let out a loud curse and ran from the door.

"After him! Sergeants and Lieutenants remain here and wait for the paramedics." The officers agreed while the rest followed Doug and Michael outside. They saw Bob rushing into his car, reaching in the back and pulling several guns from what appeared to be duffel bags. Before any of them could get to them, he started driving off. Doug let out a frustrated growl and rushed for his patrol car. "You're _not_ getting away from me this time, Duncan! Mike, come on!"

"Right behind you!" Michael hopped into the passenger seat while Doug rushed into the driver's side and started up the car, not hesitating to speed off. The other officers ran into their patrol cars and followed, all in hot pursuit. This was it, he'd made his fatal mistake, Bob Duncan was going down.

* * *

HOLY! It begins...the chase.


	36. High Speed Chase

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N: From this point on Teddy will go by her given birth name, _April_. To avoid confusion, it will change to that within both the narrative and dialogue.

* * *

Chapter 36 (High Speed Chase)

"All units in pursuit of a brown 2005 Mercury Grand Marquis, Denver, Colarado license plate number 5YSJ3D!" Doug was shouting into the police radio, while Michael studied Bob's movements in front of them. They were closing in on him, but whenever they got close, he seemed to speed up. They knew he had weapons, so it was only a matter of time before he started firing at them. "The suspect is Bob William Duncan. I need _all_ units in pursuit! Send out the entire police force, also send help from neighboring cities. He is armed and dangers, I repeat, he is armed and dangerous! Inform SWAT, this man must _not_ escape! Notify all residents of Denver and neighboring cities to remain indoors! I repeat, remain indoors!"

Sirens filled the streets of Denver, this was going to be a long and grueling chase. Michael's eyes grew wide as he watched Bob take a sudden left turn, practically ramming into an oncoming convertible. "Shit!" The convertible swerved and ran into a streetlight, then a brick building. The driver of the car started to scream as the streetlight fell on top of her. "Fuck, casualty, Doug!"

"I see that…" Doug clenched his teeth and swerved onto the street, zipping by the convertible. Doug gripped the radio and shouted into it once more. "Any units that spot injured or dead, notify the paramedics to get to that location ASAP!" He set the radio back on the holder and growled as he eyed Bob's car furiously.

Several units joined the pursuit, along with many SWAT vans. This was one race they were not going to lose. "If he gets on the freeway…" Perhaps pedestrians would be safe, but at the same time, it would mean he'd be getting out of Denver.

"Then we'll keep following."

"Right." His muscles tensed when he saw Bob reaching out from the car, aiming what appeared to be an UZI at them. "Shit! Doug, be careful of the spray!" Doug cursed and swerved to the side as Bob began firing off the gun. This man was _not_ relenting. "Damn close…" He jumped at the sound of a crash and quickly looked back, two patrol cars had run into each other. One of them had been hit by the bullet.

"Someone got hit?"

"Yeah…"

"Jesus." Doug smacked his hand on the steering wheel and started to speed up. Michael understood his rage, as he felt it too. He narrowed his eyes and reached in the backseat for one of the police issued shotguns. "What are you doing over there, Mike?"

"Returning fire." Doug nodded as Michael stuck the shotgun from his window. He steadied his aim, but at high speeds, it was difficult to aim appropriately. His brow furrowed as he watched Bob swerving from left to right. "Come on you fucker, slow it up. How fast are we going?"

"We're hitting seventy on a fifty mile an hour street." Doug grabbed the radio and spouted out another order. "Two units down. We're on Broker Line, headed west towards Canam Highway. I need units stationed at the highway ramp!" The car Bob was driving in was not set up for collisions, unless he made modifications to it.

"Where do you suppose he got that vehicle from?"

"It is registered to Robert Diddlebock. We tested out his other two cars, they were both modified like a tank."

"So then…"

"If that man made modifications to those, he likely modified that Mercury as well. The other cars had reinforced steel, matching the body of a military grade tank." Michael growled and lined his gun up to the car, firing a shot. To his surprise, the bullets barely dented the body. "Like I thought…"

"I'll issue the warning." He grabbed the radio and shouted into it, the vein in his neck popping up in his rage. "Alert, suspect has opened fire. The vehicle is reinforced and modified. Bullets from the standard issue shotgun barely dent it. Open fire at the windows and tires. Your primary objective…take out the suspect at all costs! I repeat, take out Bob Duncan _at all costs!_"

Gunfire rang out and Michael quickly ducked as bullets sailed through the windshield. He growled and rose back up, aiming the shotgun out the window once more and firing off several shots. Other units were firing at Bob as well.

They watched him take a sharp right onto the side road and followed after him. The ramp was several feet ahead, but it was blocked off by three patrol units. Bob threw something at the cars, which turned out to be a grenade. "Shit!" The grenade blew the three cars off the ramp and Bob flew through the smoke. Michael grabbed the radio once more as Doug started speeding up. "Suspect has proceeded through the barricade! I repeat, he's proceeded onto I-25 northbound towards 6th Avenue."

"We need a better gun, that shotgun isn't doing shit, Mike."

"I am aware." Michael tossed the shotgun into the back and reached for a higher issue gun. He pulled out a police machinegun and started to aim out the window. He saw Bob throw something back and let out a shout. "Doug! Grenade!" Doug snapped the steering wheel to the right and swerved out of the way. He looked back and felt his chest tighten as one of the patrol units behind them went sailing into the air in a blast of fire and smoke. "Where the _hell_ is he getting his weapons from?"

"Robert Diddlebock was his supplier. A former military man…"

"Great." He rolled his eyes and aimed back out. Sweat dripped down his forehead and his heart continued to race. He had _not_ planned for this when he got home from vacation. He locked his jaw and steadied his aim, growling from deep within. Swiftly, he pulled the trigger and controlled the jerking motion of the gun. The bullets sprayed into the trunk of the car and struck the back windshield, only to reflect off. "What the hell?"

"Bulletproof glass."

"Obviously!" Bob's vehicle began distancing itself from them, so Doug stomped down the gas pedal once more. Michael glanced over and groaned at the speedometer, they were easily hitting 110 MPH. "Let me guess Diddlebock put some speed upgrades into that car too?"

"Must have been a mechanic…"

"Christ." A deafening roar shot into his ears and he quickly glanced up through the windshield. Three helicopters were flying by them. "Finally, reinforcements." Voices came over the radio, officers from neighboring towns were staring to join the chase.

_ "This is Chief Blue from Commerce City, we have units headed your way on I-70."_ The interstate they were on merged with I-70, which eventually would merge into I-225. The entire freeway circled Denver.

_"Chief Wilkes from Aurora, units are lying in wait while others are heading into Denver now." _

_ "Coming in from Lakewood"_

_ "Englewood reporting in."_

_ "Units driving Nortbound I-25 from Centennial."_

Michael clicked his tongue and smirked triumphantly. He saw Bob swerve into the shoulder to avoid oncoming gunfire, but in doing so, he struck three pedestrians standing in the shoulder. "No!" It was a family that had pulled over to get out of the way of the chase. "The son of a bitch…Get closer, Doug!" They passed the pedestrians, the only one not hit was a mother and her five year old child, both had been standing next to their car and back up against the concrete blockage. The ones struck appeared to be a father, an elderly woman, and a college aged man. Michael's heart sank and a tear came to his eyes.

"Trying! There's only so much this car can take!"

"I know…" He grabbed the radio and spoke slowly into it. "All units. Units from Commerce City, Aurora, Lakewood, Englewood, and Centennial…shoot to kill. I repeat, shoot to kill."

_"Roger that!" They responded._

He clenched his teeth and rubbed his forehead. "Maybe we could use help from the US Army." Though he didn't think they'd officially help.

As they drove, Bob took the predicted ramp from I-25 that merged onto I-70. Once they took the ramp, they were joined by the units from Commerce City and some units from _Wheat Ridge, CO_. "Does he think he's going to get away?" Doug asked with scorn in his voice. "This time he's not getting away."

_"I'm going in!"_ One of the helicopter pilots radioed the units and started pulling ahead of the other two. The pilot turned the helicopter around and started flying backwards, firing its pellets at Bob. Bob swerved to the left and aimed a machinegun out, firing at the chopper. Michael's eyes widened as the helicopter's windshield burst. _"I've been hit! I've been hit!"_ He saw the pilot twitching and grabbing his arm. The chopper started spinning and collided into the other two helicopters. It had to be a lucky shot on Bob's part.

The choppers exploded in the air, sending flaming metal out into various cars on the road. "Damn it! When is this asshole going to run out of gas? Damn!"

After awhile of driving, he merged onto Hwy 225, where he burst through units from Aurora. Was this man so terrified of being caught that he was blind to the blood being shed today? They were all about at breaking point, truly Bob couldn't do this all day. "It's time to neutralize this threat," Michael muttered as he fired off more rounds of ammunition. Bob only returned fire, pelting their car with bullets. He clenched his teeth and turned his head towards the SWAT vans pulling ahead of them. "Get him."

One of the SWAT vans managed to pull up towards Bob just as they were all taking a curve. In a move that Michael couldn't have predicted, Bob swerved into the van, causing the driver to swerve his wheel and spin off of the freeway. Doug let out a loud roar and sped forward, ramming his car into the back of Bob's car. In that instant, Michael fired a shot through the windshield, finally shattering it. Bob looked back at them and slammed down his gas pedal, shooting far ahead.

"You won't get far," Doug shouted. Michael leaned back in his chair and took a deep breath, trying to steady his heart down. Above them, a news chopper had begun following them.. He grabbed the radio and spoke into it, channeling the news chopper.

"If you're following this chase, get higher into the air. He's already taken out three police choppers. We do not want any more innocent bystanders injured." The news chopper flew higher up, thankfully. Michael looked over to Doug, who was shifting his gaze from Bob to the speedometer.

"We're reaching top speed here, Mike." He never thought he'd have to be going at such dangerous speeds, but they weren't going to slow down. They both had people to return home to, but they both had reasons to fight. Bob set a hurricane through Denver, their families feared him, everyone feared him, and they were going to remove that fear one way or another. "Say the word…"

"No, we're not stopping now. My wife and kids are terrified of this man, and I will protect them till the end."

"Same here…"

"So keep pressing ahead, Doug."

"That's the Michael I know." Doug smirked and started to speed up once more. Once more they merged onto I-25 heading Northbound. Bob had truly run them in a circle, but his gas _had_ to be depleting. "Where is this asshole going?"

"God knows."

"He has to realize he hasn't shaken _any_ of us, right?" Bob threw three grenades from the car and Doug quickly swerved to avoid them. Three explosions went off and five units were blown from the chase. "Shit! Shit, shit, shit!"

"Those had _better_ be the last of the grenades."

"Just keep shooting at him! For the love of god, keep firing! Christ!" Michael nodded and started firing, but Bob took a sudden exit ramp. Doug twisted the steering wheel sharply onto the exit ramp, half of the patrol units managed to get the exit ramp, the rest kept running down the freeway. Doug took the radio and started shouting into it. "Any units that are still on the freeway, remain there. I need some cars patrolling the city! I can't afford to lose more people!"

"Good call."

"This bastard_ will_ fall."

"Where is he going?" Bob's speed decreased, as did theirs, but he also turned onto familiar streets. As Michael looked around, panic struck his heart. He put his hand to his chest and froze, realizing the inevitable. "Shit, he's in my neighborhood, Doug!"

"He could be heading to your place."

"Shit!" As thought, Bob turned onto Michael's street. The smell of gas struck Michael's nose as Doug turned onto the street. He glanced back and saw their car smoking. "Fuck, we're smoking, Doug! We're on fire!"

"Son of a bitch! We need to jump!" Doug grabbed the radio and dialed in an order for at least four units to follow them onto the street, but to clear the area for them. He issued one last order for some units to block off all exits of the street. Doug and Michael grabbed their semi-automatic pistols and met each other's eyes. "Okay Mike…" They grabbed the handles of their doors while trying to slow the car's speed. In the distance, he could see his house. Fear spread through him as he thought of his family. "Now! Jump!"

The men pushed open their doors and curled into balls, tucking their arms above their heads. They landed and rolled on the ground as their car sped ahead and burst into a fiery explosion.

* * *

See, now this is where we're all in shock, sort of. There's your explosion, but how about all those casualties? Now in Mike's neighboorhood, and yes, ironically Bob will crash into that sweet ride in the driveway.


	37. State of Shock

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N: From this point on Teddy will go by her given birth name, _April_. To avoid confusion, it will change to that within both the narrative and dialogue.

* * *

Chapter 37 (State of Shock)

Michael was pulled up by Doug and took a few staggering steps as four patrol cars shot past him. "You good, Mike?" Michael cleared his throat and glanced towards his house, full of terror and anger. He remembered they still needed to take Bob out.

"I'm fine." No time to wait, and Doug understood this. Bob Duncan would die if he did anything to that family.

No, he would die either way. He'd pissed off every last officer, the order to shoot-to-kill had gone out a _long_ time ago. This was the point of no return. "Let's get moving!" He narrowed his eyes and nodded. They broke into a run towards his house, where Bob smashed into the red Nissan parked into his driveway.

"My car! _Again_, Bob? Seriously!" Bob bolted from his car and ran into the house just as Doug and Mike made it to the front lawn. Several officers, the Commander and Captains, stepped from their cars and pointed their guns towards the house. Michael growled and fought back the panic shooting through him. "I swear to god he better _not_ hurt them!"

"Normally I'd say don't go rushing in due to possible hostage situations, but…"

"You know I'm not going to listen." He shot past Doug and ran for his front door. Doug clicked his gun and ran after him while ordering all other officers to hold their ground. Several units sped onto the road, along with the remaining SWAT van. The officers started surrounding the house, but remained outside as pertaining to Doug's order, he did _not_ want any more police casualties.

Once inside, Michael started scanning the surrounding with his eyes, growling out his irritation. Nicole ran into the living room in her purple silk nightgown, she put her hands over her mouth and tears started running down her eyes. "Michael? What's going on?"

"Go outside, honey." He didn't want to scare her, but it was likely too late for that. He knew Denise and Gabe were still in the house, he could hear Amato barking from their bedroom. This only meant one thing, Bob was in there. _"Shit."_ He looked to Doug, who slowly nodded his head. Nicole started whimpering as he pointed to the door. "Don't worry dear, we'll handle it. Please go outside…I won't let _anything_ happen to my family."

Nicole trusted him and hurried outside where some officers pulled her across the street. Michael cracked his neck and Doug breathed in deeply. "He's in their room, isn't he?"

"Sure sounds like that…just pray Amato keeps him at bay. If he does anything…I may need you to hold me back…"

"Got it…That's what I'm here for."

"Let's do this." He took off in a run towards his children's bedroom. The two burst in and found Gabe and Denise sitting on their beds, frozen in terror. Standing in the middle of their beds, right in front of a window, was Bob. He was holding a pistol in his hand and frozen in terror as Amato stood between him and the window, barking angrily. "Attempting to leave through the back window, I see…" Bob tensed and looked back over his shoulder, growling angrily. Michael whistled and Amato quickly darted behind him. "Your run ends here, Bob."

"Come quietly," Doug said with narrow eyes. The two trained their guns on Bob, both eager and ready to shoot. They didn't want to, but they would give him one final chance to let them arrest him. "Resist, and we _will_ shoot you."

"I don't want to have to do that in front of my kids…but I will if it means protecting them." Michael wavered his gaze past Bob and saw several officers surrounding the perimeter outside. They'd caught up with Bob just in time, a second earlier and Bob would have managed to bypass all of them and run into the trees. "No narrow escape for you this time around, Duncan."

"Don't take another step!" Bob exclaimed. His right arm, the gun arm, was on Denise's side. Denise shouted something at him and Bob growled. "Shut up!" Michael's eyes widened and his finger steadied on the trigger, slowly preparing to pull back. Bob met his eyes and growled. "If you don't think I will shoot them, you're mistaken! I'll shoot them, I'll shoot you, whatever it takes to get the fuck away!"

"So you're resisting?" Doug asked. "You know you can't escape."

"I'm _not_ going to prison, so fuck you! Fuck you and all the cops outside."

"You won't get far if you run, you know that. The whole of Colorado is looking for you. The country's out to get you." Not only that, but he'd pissed off the wrong people.

Michael wanted to tell his children to run, but he was afraid for them. He was afraid if they moved, Bob would kill them. They finally got Bob where they wanted him, though. If they shot him now, it would all be over. Outside, it was finally raining, as it had appeared to do just mere hours ago. "Bob, do you remember what I said to you a while back?" Bob looked to Michael and chuckled.

"What?"

"If you had either of my children in your house, if you laid a hand on either of them, I would take you in."

"So?"

"You had _both_, and here you stand in _my_ house now, a danger to both of my children." Michael pulled the cock on his gun back, Doug followed suit. He narrowed his eyes and growled spitefully. "So you really don't want to piss me off. Make this easy on us. I'll gladly put my gun down and arrest you if you would prefer to be arrested."

"Fuck you!" Thunder clapped and lightning shot down outside the window. Michael's eyes widened as Bob began bringing his gun in. Denise let out a scream and Gabe threw his handheld console into Bob's leg. Bob screamed out and turned his head to Gabe, in the split second of distraction, Denise shot up and grabbed Bob's wrist, pulling his arm back and making the shot fire off into the ceiling.

"Denise! Gabe!" Michael screamed out and Bob quickly jerked his arm back, throwing Denise back onto her bed and against the wall. Anger spiked within Michael and he quickly opened fire. Doug followed suit. Gabe pressed himself up against his wall and watched with wide eyes. Denise opened her eyes and gasped at the sight.

Bob screamed out as their bullets tore through him. He stumbled backwards as blood splashed out from him. He staggered to the window and twisted around, slowly climbing, then falling, from the window. Michael and Doug ran for the window and watched with narrow eyes as Bob struggled to stand. There was a line of police and SWAT officers training their weapons onto him. Once Bob stood on his feet, blood pouring and dripping down his body, he eyed the firing squad with wide and fearful eyes.

Doug lifted his hand and let out a victorious shout. "Fire!"

"No!" Bob screamed. All weapons blasted out their bullets, riddling him and jerking him back and forth. Flesh and blood flew in all directions. The gunfire went on for a full minute until Bob's body crumpled to the ground, somehow the man had been able to withstand the barrage of gunfire for so long, but now, it was clear he was gone.

Michael breathed heavily as Doug looked back at him. Gabe and Denise charged from their bed and hugged his legs tight, both weeping and shaking. He heard a cry and looked to the doorway, smiling as he saw Nicole with her hand over her mouth. "You're safe!" She cried out. She ran up to him and hugged him. He hugged his family back, swearing to protect them.

"It's over. He's gone, he's finally gone…"

Doug cracked his neck from left to right, then fired one last shot into Bob's forehead. "That last one's for the Booth family," he stated. Finally the clouds of terror were letting up over Denver. With Bob gone, they could focus on repairing and moving on with their lives. "About damned time."

On the ranch, Frank Duncan peered up at the sky. His daughter, grandchildren, and great grandchildren surrounded him. They had been watching the news, terrified, like all of Denver. Though, in this instant, they felt a great weight fall from their shoulders. Peace struck his heart, and he slowly turned back towards his door, his eyes full of tears.

He didn't need the news to tell him what he knew, his son was gone. His daughter and grandson put their hands to his back and walked with him into the house. It was hard to be happy, but hard to be sad. For Denver, they were happy. He'd been given a choice, but Bob clearly chose death, rather than a chance to have a few extra years of life.

Flying towards Alaska, Ivy had been struck with a great sense of peacefulness that she couldn't quite explain. She looked to Emmett, who was sitting beside her, and took his hand. He smiled at her and she slowly put her head to his shoulder. As her eyes moved towards the aisle, her breath caught in her throat. Her parents were standing before her, smiling.

Was it truly over? They'd been avenged? They looked towards the plane's television screen where the news was playing. She followed their gaze and saw the news circling the Brown household. Someone was moving a blanket over a body, but it was the words on the screen that caught her attention.

_Bob Duncan killed in high speed chase_

Her heart swelled and Emmett squeezed her hand. No longer would anyone have to leave in fear of him! She wanted to jump and dance, to cheer, but she preferred the comfortable position she was currently in. A smile graced her lips as she closed her eyes and nestled closer to Emmett.

The Booth home was filled with silence and tears as Henry, April, PJ, and Skyler sat frozen in their seats. Their eyes were glued to the television screen, they'd been watching this chase from the moment it hit the international news. They couldn't believe where it ended, nor could they believe it was truly _over_.

April and PJ were filled with a great amount of peace, part of the nightmare had ended for them. "T-They got him," April uttered. "They really got him. I knew they would, but…they got him…"

"I know," PJ added, astonished. He shook his head in disbelief and felt Skyler put her hand in his. Now they could _truly_ move on with their lives. They had to tell their therapist of this, the therapist would want to know exactly how they felt in this moment. "Chief Dooley, Chief Brown…they are incredible…"

Incredible? No. They were _heroes_. They never gave up, kept pursuing, and finally, they _won!_ He wanted to faint, he wanted to scream, he wanted to cheer, but he could hardly budge. "The Monster is…dead…"

Elsewhere, in her jail cell, Amy sat with the spirit of Jasmine beside her. She'd been praying this entire time for the Denver police, since she'd heard the other prisoners declaring what was on the news. She felt a sting in her chest, followed by a calm wave of peace. She lifted her head up to Jasmine, but no words were said.

Jasmine slowly nodded, understanding what was in her heart. As they looked to the side, they saw Bob's ghost appear in front of them. His eyes were wide and terrified, his body completely red and covered with bullet holes. Bullets were falling from these holes, all clumped in the blood flow. When he saw them, his face twisted into extreme pain and terror.

He tilted his head back and let out a violent scream as a burning circle appeared around him. Amy and Jasmine held their breath and watched as the flames of Hell burst up from the circle and engulfed him. His scream echoed and intensified while his body began to melt down into the floor, sinking with the fire.

Soon, the vision was gone. Amy pressed her lips together and closed her eyes. "Let his victims, and the families of his victims, move along with peace." Finally, Bob's reign of terror was over.

* * *

*whistles* What did you think of that stand down? Lots of irony too, Bob smashing into Mike's parked car, and then he goes down completely amidst a firing squad waiting for him. Doug seals the deal and gives one last punch for the Booth family. You can feel the shock running through everyone as the realize it is finally _over_, Bob Duncan is gone. Three chapters remain


	38. We'll be Alright

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N: To the anonymous reviewer...no...Spencer is not coming back in this story.

* * *

Chapter 38 (We will be Okay)

The next few days passed very slowly for the Booth family, everyone had been taking time to absorb the news that Bob Duncan had finally been killed. Now all that was left was the trial of Amy Duncan, but it didn't make matters any easier. April still was plagued by nightmares, though they were lessening. PJ was spending a lot more time shrouded in his music, as well as his studies, looking forward to college. He was already jumping into it, taking a summer course with Skyler, he didn't want to wait until August or September rolled around.

April was looking forward to her next year of high school, already she enjoyed the school she was going to. Rick and Mai were awesome, she had a tiny crush on Rick that was developing, and Mai had begun to take notice. She was already teasing her every now and then about it. It was great to have friends like them, though, and already she'd toured New York with them and with Skyler.

She walked from her bedroom and up towards PJ's room, she gazed at the door with a simple smile and a peaceful heart. As she moved over, she knocked on his door and waited as he opened it up. "Hey brother, I was hoping we could talk a little bit?" He nodded and extended his hand for her. When she entered, she saw a textbook propped open on his work desk, with a paper and pen. "Dad has you doing some extra homework?"

"Yep." Their father, along with Mr. and Mrs. Bosca often collaborated to come up with some homework assignments for PJ and Skyler. They would grade the assignments and have PJ correct whatever it was he got wrong. Sometimes they had to give him some step by step help, but he was getting the hang of many things, and would soon be prepared for college. "I'm doing some World History right now, studying right now on the election of President William McKinley. I finished some of the Industrial Era last night."

"Sounds like you're learning a lot." She propped herself onto his bed while he moved over to the desk and looked down at his textbook. "Take a break sometimes. Studying, then doing music constantly isn't helping you much."

He paused and hinted at a playful smirk. "What do you mean?"

"I mean you're pouring everything into that, spend some time with your family. Like, I don't know, your little sister." He looked over at her and laughed. He moved over and sat beside her, letting out a heavy sigh. She put his head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. "I've been thinking. I can't believe…it's really over. They got him." PJ clicked his tongue and stared at the television across from them, studying his reflection in the blank screen.

"Yeah…yeah they did." He folded his forearms onto his abdomen and leaned his head back against his headboard. "You've been thinking about it still? How are you doing? I know the therapist said not to dwell on it, right?"

"I know. Forgive and let go." It was hard to do that since she knew the memories would always remain. "I don't understand how someone could be so evil. I don't understand how someone could take three children from their families…and fill their heads with so many lives. I don't understand how someone could make someone feel secure, only to have them come to the conclusion…that they were in more danger than they ever thought possible."

PJ didn't say anything, he only lifted his head and gazed at the wall before them. April opened her eyes and let a tear fall from her eyes. She still had that peace inside, but at the same time, she felt numb. "Amy wanted to give us back. She wanted the truth out." April turned onto her side and hugged his chest, sighing as she remained close to her brother. She was thankful that she still had him, that they were safe, and now she wasn't afraid of ever losing him again. "Now she'll be risking life in prison, but you know what? She wasn't half as bad as Bob was." Likely Bob would have received the death sentence if he hadn't been killed.

"Deputy-sorry-Chief Dooley is a hero now. So is Deputy Michael. Has he been made official yet?" PJ shook his head and cleared his throat.

"He's just the Interim Chief of Police right now, but from what I understand with the news reports…many people are calling for him to take office immediately due to his involvement in this case." She could hardly bear to watch the news, it was impressive that he was able to do so. "How are you feeling, April?"

"Scared, but only because we still haven't talked to our therapist about this yet." She laughed in vain and closed her eyes once more. It was hard to note the feelings going on inside, but if she had to, she'd say she was _almost_ euphoric. "I don't have to worry anymore. My nightmares are even going away."

"It'll take some time, but that's a good thing."

"I know I'm safe with our dad, and with my brother. I couldn't ask for anything more…and I wouldn't." Hell, they were even going to see Charlie again, which could only mean they'd still have time to be happy. "I am worried for her, for Charlie, do you think she'll be all right?"

"I don't know. It depends…If Bob never hurt her and Amy took good enough care of her, she probably _won't_ have as bad mental issues that the therapist says she's likely to come out with. It'll be good for her to be back with us and with Dad, because that means she'll be taken care of."

"Right. She deserves to be happy."

"We all do." He hugged her and gave her a protective brotherly smile that warmed her heart and soul. She knew both he, and their father, would never let anything happen to her. "Are you ready to get going to the therapist for today's session?"

"Yes." They were having a session together, the therapist wanted to gauge their reactions together. Plus, it was much easier for her to talk to the therapist with him around, because she felt a lot safer with him. "I love you, Bro."

"I love you too, Sis."

Within the hour, they were sitting in front of their therapist. They were in a small square room with a desk and chair propped up against a window at the back of the room. To the left of the desk was a black recliner that rested against the middle of the wall. The therapist was sitting in the chair with her right leg over her left. She looked to them with a soft smile and gentle brown eyes peering past her wire framed glasses. She had feathery brown hair that swooped out at her chin. PJ and April were sitting in separate leather recliners opposite of her, both were very comfortable.

"How are you today?" Elise Beady asked. "I have seen the news, so…I suspect you're well aware?"

"It's been better than before," PJ started. "Peaceful, actually…it was just a shock when we saw what was going on. That chase was being filmed live, so we _saw_ him fall. When he did, it was like…I don't know. Weightless." Elise slowly nodded her head and looked to April, awaiting her answer.

"I felt kind of numb at first," she admitted. "I couldn't _believe_ it was over. I wanted it to be over, and when his body started jerking on that screen…"

"It was kind of frightening, to be honest."

"Understandable." Elise cleared her throat and leaned back in her seat. "This _was_ a man that you two believed was your father for quite some time. It would affect you in such a manner. Tell me, how do you feel about your real father?"

"He's the best dad," April proclaimed with a joyful attitude. She bounced up in her chair and clapped her hands once. "He's done everything to make sure we're happy, taken care of, and he's adopting our little sister. Well…she's not really our _real _sister, but, it's close enough."

"Good." She smiled and glanced down at her notes. "I'm glad that you two are doing well, a lot of people would be devastated after seeing something like that on the news."

"I don't know. My brother and I have each other, and we have our dad. With that in the back of my mind, I know things will be okay…I've started making friends, school's going well, and I think I'm actually getting _happier_."

"There isn't much bad to say at the moment," PJ calmly stated. "I've been working on my studies, and summer school's starting. My girlfriend's there for me, my father's here, and of course, I don't think I'd be in good shape if I didn't at least have my sister with me. I know things will get better. I know things are going to be hard for a while, a long while, but…things get better in time, right?"

"Of course they do," Elise replied. "Keep in touch with your friends, keep your family close, and things get better. I still would like to keep doing our sessions, I know we've been doing two times a week, but if you'd like to take it down to once a week, we can do that." That was the idea of therapy, as things got better, they could always lesson the sessions if they were comfortable with that.

"Maybe…there's still a lot to talk about really." April dusted her pant leg and exhaled softly. She smiled and tilted her head a bit to the left. "You know, my aunt says I could be on Broadway one day! Also, there's this guy I've started to get a crush on…" PJ smirked at her, a sign that she knew he'd start teasing her about this rather soon. She pointed at him, laughing. "You start teasing me, and I'll tease you about Skyler."

"There's nothing you can tease me about with her," he replied jokingly.

"We'll _see_ dear brother, we will see." As their fun banter and exchange went on, Elise watched them with a proud smile.

After the session was over and the two returned home, they were stunned to see a police officer and a man in suit and tie, talking with Henry. They were standing behind a black car. The siblings moved towards them and their father shot a smile their way. "Hey Dad, what's going on?" April asked.

"Hey look," PJ pointed past the car while walking around it. She followed and gasped, her heart shot up in an instant. There was Charlie, standing at Henry's side, her tiny hand was grasping his leg for dear life. She was holding onto a tiny stuffed dog that seemed to be tightly clutched against her chest. "Charlie!"

"Charlie!" Charlie looked over at them and wonder filled her innocent eyes.

"Brother! Sister!" Charlie leapt for joy and ran for them, stretching her arms out. PJ scooped her up in his arms and she hugged his neck. April moved over and wrapped her arms around her and PJ, sandwiching Charlie between the two of them. "I missed you. Safe?"

"Yes, very safe Charlie," April delighted. "You're safe, and so are we."

"Gabe too?"

"Gabe is safe with his real family." Charlie slowly nodded, slightly understanding what was going on. She smiled and moved over to hug April. "We missed you, Charlie."

"I wuv you."

"We love you too. You're going to be really happy here!" There had been a point where she thought she'd never see Charlie again, but those fears were long gone. The only things that would have to happen now would be testifying in Amy's trial, which would be extremely hard, but the therapist did tell them to take it one step at a time. Things would be just fine as long as they didn't overwhelm themselves.

Henry moved over and joined the family hug, wrapping his arms around the three of them. The officer and obvious social worker drove off into the distance. "Things are going to be okay now," he promised, tears in his eyes. "I'll do everything I can to be the best father that I can be for all three of you. I love you, my children."

"Love you too, Dad," April replied. There was not a single trace of coldness left within her, only pure warmth. She never thought for a single minute that things could go so well, but now more than ever, she knew without a doubt, things had a way of working out.

* * *

Finally! Charlie's reunited with the Booth family.


	39. The Verdict

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 39 (The Verdict)

A month passed by and Amy was getting antsy, all of the evidence had been presented to the judge, and several hearings had taken place. She'd had just about enough of everything and wanted them to reach the verdict already, she was willing to go the rest of her life in this prison cell if she had to, but it was _torturous _waiting for the damned verdict. Hell, they'd already reached Mrs. Dabney's verdict, guilty on the charge of accessory through knowledge and failure to report. She was getting twenty years in prison, with possibility of parole after about eight. The woman was already well in her older years, so likely she'd die in prison _anyway_.

Her only companion was Mrs. Dooley, only due to her ministries. "Why won't they just reach a verdict?" Amy asked as she sat on the cold bench in her cell. All her cell consisted of was a simple room with a door that had one square window in the center. On the left side was the bench for her to sit, read, or do whatever else she felt like. To the right was a small bed with a mattress that felt like a college dormitory's mattress. Firm, just a tiny bit of softness, but still oddly comfortable, and in the corner was a simple toilet. "This is exhausting…"

Seated in front of her on a small brown folding chair was Debbie Dooley, holding a leather bible in her hand. She wasn't being executed or anything, but she felt like she would be. Was this not the typical picture of an inmate's last visit? Yet Debbie was only here to preach and be a friend, her preaching _was_ finished for the day. "I think they're coming out with your verdict tomorrow. Are you prepared for it?" Prepared? Amy scoffed slightly and turned her eyes towards the door.

"More than prepared, Debbie…I just want it to be over and done with. I'm ready to spend my life in prison." She'd cooperated with the police, told them _everything _she knew, and even plead guilty. What was the worst punishment the judge would throw on her? "I already told them everything, and I admitted to being in the room, taking the infants when we took them, so…I'm expecting life in prison. I know Mr. Dooley said by cooperating and pleading guilty, I escaped the death sentence." Debbie nodded her head and slowly closed her bible. They'd done their prayer for the day too, she was free to go whenever, but tended to stay longer for her.

"I'm still praying for you. You know, I pray for all the prisoners I talk to, but you're still a friend regardless." Amy smiled softly and bowed her head. Besides her _spirit guide_, Debbie was her only real friend left.

"Thanks. You're the only one I have left. You know that? I don't have any other friends."

"I don't know. You might have some people out there who would still root for you."

She rolled her eyes and slowly shook her head. "Yeah right, like that'd ever happen. I find it hard to believe someone out there would give a damn for me. Maybe your husband, he's at least nice, but I figure he's just doing his job." Debbie laughed and reached over, placing a gentle hand to her shoulder.

"I don't know about that sweetie, Doug is not often friendly with those he interrogates. If you hadn't been a neighbor, he probably wouldn't have even talked to you the way he did." Amy's heart lifted a little from all the mulch it had been sitting in. She put her hand to her stomach and sighed, the little baby inside was kicking like crazy now. Most of her irritableness was due to that, the doctor of the prison did say the child would be born any time now. Debbie tilted her head to the right and smiled at her. "How are you feeling?"

"Right now? Like someone's taking a pile driver and running me over with it. I think the little one has decided to take up martial arts." She looked over at the door, an officer was stationed on the other side. She breathed in slowly, and started to look back at Debbie, but was shocked to find Jasmine's spirit standing before her once more. Jasmine smiled down at her and bent over, placing a hand to her belly. As she did this, she leaned forward beside her ear and began to whisper, the baby was ready to come out. "Oh no." Her eyes widened as a sharp pain ran through her body. Debbie studied her and slowly started to stand. "Debbie. It's time. I have one request though, before…before we go."

"What's that?" Debbie quickly rose and started toward the door, pausing to look back and listen to her request. Amy started to stand, holding her belly and breathing in sharply. She clenched her eyes shut and tried to ignore the pain of the decision she was making. She didn't feel that she deserved to hold this child, she only wanted to give birth, but as she helped kidnap three children, she didn't deserve the joy that she took from the other mothers.

"When this child is born, take him from me." Debbie's face started to fall and she slowly reached for the door, still giving Amy an unsure look. "I mean it. I helped Bob take three children, two from my very best friend, and I wanted to return them to her but…Bob prevented me from doing that…I stole the joy of holding their babies, Jasmine and Nicole, I took away that joy." Labor usually took hours upon hours, so it left them plenty of time to carry out her last request. "While I'm going through this labor…through this pain…call Nicole Brown."

"Her?"

"Yes. Let _her_ hold the baby once it's born…please. I don't deserve to hold that child. Maybe I can say goodbye, but…let her take the baby. Let her raise it, she deserves this baby boy." Debbie's lips thinned and she took a second, then nodded and proceeded to open the door instructing the officer that Amy was going into labor. It would take about a week, maybe, before Nicole would be able to take the baby home with her. There was still the adoption process, the paperwork, and everything, but at the very least Nicole could hold him in her arms.

Hours passed before the baby had finally come out, it was mostly a painless birth. Nicole and Michael were there, along with Doug and Debbie. Gabe and Denise had been outside for the labor, clearly, but they would be allowed to come in shortly. Amy watched Debbie and a nurse wrap the baby boy in a towel. She studied Nicole's sad expression as the nurse walked the baby over to her, she seemed a bit confused by Amy's gesture.

With a smile, she took the baby in her arms and gently swayed him. She and Michael started to walk over to her as Gabe and Denise were led into the room with an officer. Amy lifted her gaze to Nicole's and breathed in slowly as a tear left her eyes. "Nicole. I don't know what to say, really. I know what I did was a terrible thing, whether or not I wanted to, I still did the crime. Something someone should_ never_ do, I took a baby from its mother…I stole the opportunity you had…and for that, I want you to take that child and raise him as your own."

"Amy…" Nicole looked from her to the baby and slowly smiled at the child. The baby's eyes opened partially and gazed up at her, he wasn't crying any, just looking. Studying. "Won't you hold him?" Amy closed her eyes and let her tears run down the sides of her face. Her body trembled with sadness and pain, the same sorrow surely that Jasmine and Nicole felt when they realized they could never hold their children. She knew she could never raise him, due to her being in prison. The Browns would give him a good life, she believed that.

"I don't deserve to. I want to, so badly, but…it wouldn't be fair of me. It wouldn't be right of me." Nicole and Michael exchanged sad glances while Gabe and Denise stared at Amy. She looked to Gabe and breathed. "I'm _so_ sorry, all these years that I've lied…I don't expect any of you to forgive me, I know what I did was bad. Please believe me when I say that I am sorry. I want you all to live your lives happily, to be happy and free. Take care of yourselves, be honest with who you are and those around you. Don't do the wrong things…don't let people use you." Gabe started to turn away while his parents returned their gazes to her.

"It's okay," Nicole commented in a slow and quiet voice. Her eyes were wet with tears. She stepped closer to Amy's bed and looked at the baby in her arms. "He's beautiful, Amy. He really is." She looked back to Amy, still smiling through her sad tears. "You and I, we never knew each other, but I think maybe you were a good person with a good heart. Misled, sure…I'm glad my family's safe, and you're technically safe too, so...I'm getting ahead of myself. I _do_ forgive you, Amy. It wasn't your fault, it was that monster, but…forgiveness isn't about saying 'it's okay', it's about _letting go_. So you know what? I forgive him too. It still hurts, but, things are better."

"Thank you." She closed her eyes and let her heart continue on it's never ending race. It seemed to be growing faster with every passing minute. She was happy, though, it felt like she was finally doing the right thing, and she was being forgiven too. "I know nothing can change what happened, and I regret it. I wish so badly I could change _everything_. I can't…I don't think I can even make up for the things I've done. Heck, I think I missed my own verdict."

"You did," Michael gruffly stated. "It was announced about an hour ago." Amy closed her eyes and felt her body stiffen. Part of her didn't want to hear it, she didn't want to know what the verdict was, but she _had _to know. Her eyes started to open and she carefully looked towards Doug, trying hard to manage a smile. She knew he'd been appointed the new Chief of Police because of this case, he deserved it.

"Mr. Dooley, I just…I wanted to say congrats…" Doug smiled at her and put an arm around his wife's shoulders. "You stopped the monster, and because of that, the Mayor promoted you. I'm happy for you."

"Thanks," he replied.

"All of you deserve to be happy. Since you're the Chief…would you tell me what the verdict is?"

"Guilty of accessory on one count of child abduction…there was some video evidence from the hospital that suggested you were forced to take David and April Booth. You were only charged with being an accessory to Daniel Brown's abduction. Your sentence is forty years with the chance of parole in twenty on good behavior."

She absorbed the information and tried desperately not to cry. It was a lot less than she expected, yes, but still it was a traumatic verdict. She didn't know if she'd still be alive in forty years. How was she going to survive in jail anyway? What miracle was conceived that she'd been forced to take Jasmine's babies? The hospital had video surveillance, and during those times, she had complained while Bob shouted at her and threatened her to take the baby. She didn't complain any the third time for her own fear of life, but she didn't know the recordings had been saved all this time.

"I see…thank you…" She looked up to Nicole and wiped her eyes. "So, you'll adopt him?" Nicole nodded and carefully knelt beside her. Her heart jumped to her throat as Nicole leaned forward and held the baby over her. Michael set his hand to his wife's shoulder and Amy started to whimper. "What are you doing?"

"Giving you a chance…a chance to say goodbye to him." Amy whimpered and slowly looked at the young baby. His eyes peered up at her excitedly.

"G-Goodbye…my precious baby…I do love you, but you'll go to a family that can take care of you." She leaned forward and gently kissed the top of the infant's head. A sob left her lips and tears dripped down her face. "I will never forget you."

"Amy, what do you think we should name him?" She was astonished that they were giving her the choice of naming the child. "I promise I will raise him as a mother who loves her baby, and we will take care of him as long as he lives, but I want you to give him his name." This was more than she deserved.

"Why are you doing this?"

"Because…I feel like it's the right thing to do." She didn't want to argue with her. If she felt this way, who was she to question it? As she looked to the innocent young baby, she was reminded of a young man who had tried so desperately to help her.

"Mr. Brown, maybe you remember…someone that used to work under you back in the late 1990s." Michael raised an eyebrow as Amy gingerly tucked the blanket farther around the baby. "He tried to help me, said he was concerned something was wrong with Bob. I didn't want to think there was anything wrong…he was the first person, besides my best friend, to see something brewing and try to convince me…he was a good person too." His name was Tobias Baker, Amy never knew what happened to him, but assumed he had moved away.

"You want to name the child after this man? What was the name?" Amy met Nicole's eyes and let out a wistful sigh, she was radiating with a cheerful expression.

"Toby." The name rolled off her tongue with a sweetness like honey and milk. Nicole slowly nodded and smiled at her, standing up and looking at the baby. She recognized the name, as did Michael. Toby had been one of the groomsmen at their wedding, to be truly honest. It was an honor to name the child after him.

"I like it," Nicole whispered. "Toby."

* * *

Well, I think Nicole did the right thing. What a touching moment, and not a terrible sentence, I suppose. One more chapter left, sort of an epilogue


	40. Yin and Yang

Lies that Destroy

Disclaimer: I do not own Good Luck Charlie

A/N:

* * *

Chapter 40 (Yin and Yang)

Several years have passed by, twenty year old Charlotte Duncan sat before her therapist, Elise. She was finishing up yet another session, and informing her therapist that she was still taking the pills for depression. She had a mild case of what they termed multiple personality disorder, but the medicine she took helped that quite often. She blamed her mental problems on the tragedy that occurred when she was three years old. "I've told you every bit of memory that I can remember from that time," she muttered impatiently. She wasn't a teenager anymore, sure, but she still wanted to carry these sessions on. Or more, the therapist wanted her to.

The year was 2029, and from what she could tell, everyone _else_ had moved on with their lives. April was now a successful star on Broadway thanks to their Aunt Martha putting in a good word to directors all around. She started dating that boy, Rick, shortly after high school. They married and had a child together, ten year old Jasmine Daniels. Obviously they named the baby after her birth mother. Rick was a full time police officer, and very supportive of his family.

PJ, now fully known as David Booth to everyone in the world, had become a college professor. He taught music and had three _beautiful_ children with his wife, Skyler. His eldest son, Tyler, was a genius college student at just fourteen years of age! Lucy was a chipper, seemingly hyperactive eleven year old, and Zachary was an eight year old troublemaker. They lived just north of New York City now, with their fully retired father that lived with them.

From what she understood, Gabe's life turned out very well. He was a Detective that worked homicide, and had a beautiful wife, Jo, with a beautiful daughter. Jenny was just nine years old. They visited PJ and April frequently, vowing never to be out of touch with each other. She was happy for him, sure, his life turned out just as well as everyone else's. He remained close to his sister and parents, so they still lived in Chicago. Denise had grown and married happily, they had a son with the same exact birthday as Gabe's daughter! Amazing!

"It seems everyone's doing better than I am," she complained. She pushed her finger up to her temple and sighed. She'd cut her blonde hair to the point that it was shorter than her ears, just barely covering the tops. Her feathery bangs fell in a V over her forehead while the sides of her blonde hair did cover her ears. In the back, her hair was reaching her neck at least, she was thinking of letting it grow out further. "While everyone else has successful, happy lives, I'm just…sitting here…I still have nightmares of that man from time to time, I start associating myself with other memories, blacking out the trauma, but sometimes it comes back. I'm sick, Elise…and also the doctors told me that I won't be able to have children in the future. I don't know why, if it's a mixup of the medication I had to take growing up or whatever…"

"I know it's a bitter thing to have to go through all of this. It's good that you're still taking the medication, but are you not happy for your family at least?"

"Did I ever say I wasn't happy for them?" Just because she was a sarcastic bitch from time to time never meant she _wasn't_ happy for them. She would never call herself that, but she often felt like it. "I'm _extremely_ happy for them. It's just…I'm at a very hard spot in my life right now. I got dumped by my boyfriend because he thinks I'm going to be a mental basket case due to my medicine. I'm failing some of my classes, and the world still chooses to screw me over…"

Elsewhere in New York, seventeen year old Toby Brown was visiting New York on a Senior Class Trip. He'd been doing great over the years, and knew who his birth mother was. He'd learned the painful tale from his parents, from Gabe, and even from the Booths. He'd seen the news footage a year ago of the man that was his father. It had all been shocking to him, but at the same time, he'd been intrigued.

Now Amy Duncan was getting released from prison in a few days, so he wanted to pay a visit. He'd gotten permission and was waiting for his sister outside her therapist's building. She was going with him. They'd had fun whenever they visited, though it seemed he was the only one she ever got along with, minus April, PJ, and her father. She never had many friends. Though, the two of them had the same basic bond that April and PJ had, or Gabe and Denise, and he was thrilled to have a sister that loved him and he loved too. His real, flesh and blood sister, he could never take her for granted!

Toby marveled at the skies above him, excitement flowed through his veins as he dreamed one day he'd soar those skies. It had been a goal in life to become an astronaut. His girlfriend was supportive of his dreams and had given him her full approval so long as he never let it overshadow his love for her. Clearly, he wouldn't.

"Are you done gazing, wonder boy?" Charlotte's voice broke from behind. He jumped and spun around nervously, chuckling at her narrow gaze and flat lips. "Let's get this over with, all right?" She understood why he was so adamant about this visit, whether or not he actually ever saw Amy Duncan again. "Ask your questions and then we can go about our merry way. Let's see if the old hag chokes."

"Aw you don't mean that, Charlotte." She rolled her eyes as he hurried to her red pickup truck. She had a heart, even though she would be the first to deny it. There was some level of care she had for that woman, and he knew it. "You've said it yourself, she cared about you. Protected you from that man."

"I _know_…It wasn't her fault, and so forth." They entered her truck and started the drive towards the prison. Amy had once been imprisoned in Denver's prisons, but within the last three years, she'd been transferred to New York mainly because of heckling from other prisoners. "Maybe she's the reason my mental issues aren't _worse,_ but what do I owe her?"

"Uh…your life?" Charlotte frowned in an instant and peered over the hood of the truck. It became eerily silent with that statement, but there was an enormous amount of truth to it. If not for Amy, Charlotte might not be alive today. They didn't know just how deranged Bob was, if he would have done anything to her or not, so she did owe Amy the fact that she was still alive.

"Fine. Another point to you." Toby laughed victoriously and playfully punched her shoulder, earning him a playful smack back in return. He watched with satisfaction as her lips curled up into a deep smile. She turned her eyes upwards and sighed. "I don't know _why_ I let you talk me into this."

"Because I'm your brother and you love me."

"Okay kid. Whatever you say." He heard her mutter the fact that she loved him too, and normally he'd try to tease her into saying it out loud, but he'd let it slide for today. They were like night and day, yin and yang. He wasn't sure why, but as long as they were together, it was just a great piece of the puzzle that was their life.

When they arrived at the prison, they were placed in a room with Amy. Of course, the room was split in two, with iron bars and glass that separated them from her. Charlotte looked at the aging woman with a bit of bitterness in her gut, yet, a bit of love for her as well. She couldn't truly deny her roots. Toby gazed in wide wonder at his mother, the woman he'd never met in his life. He was intrigued, and felt a fondness that he wished that he could share with Charlotte.

"You two have grown so much," Amy said with a gentle whisper. Charlotte crossed her arms and rolled her eyes, displaying only the faintest smirk. Toby pushed his hand through his shaggy blonde hair, full of pride and spunk. "I'm glad to see you both. How are your lives?"

"Hell," Charlotte answered angrily. Amy recoiled and Toby quickly interjected, not wanting to hurt Amy's feelings too much.

"It's been good for _both_ of us, she's just too stubborn to admit it." Charlotte groaned in annoyance and turned to him.

"Did I _say_ you could tell her that?"

"It's true."

"_Maybe_ it is, but _maybe_ I don't want her to think that!"

"Why not?" He turned away from her as she gawked, speechless. He smiled at Amy and slowly breathed in. "I've heard a lot about you, I've seen news footage of our…birth father…" Amy tensed and let her eyes droop downwards. "He was a monster. I'm glad you got away from him."

"It was hard to go through," Amy replied. "I lost my best friend because of him." She looked from Toby towards Charlotte with an apologetic gaze. "Charlotte, I am truly sorry…that you've suffered because of me, because of that monster." Charlotte scoffed and turned her head away. "I loved you both, I wanted you to have good lives."

"We did," Charlotte admitted. She lowered her arms and closed her eyes, allowing tears to flow. Toby was shocked by this admission of hers, and intrigued to hear what she had to say. "Toby here wants to be an astronaut, and I'm not sure exactly what I want to be. April's on Broadway now, PJ's a professor at NYU, Gabe's a detective…I'm…I've been diagnosed with chronic depression, anxiety disorder, and I can't have children." Charlotte pressed her lips together and clenched her fists. Toby reached up and pat her shoulder, feeling her pain deep inside. He always wished that he could do something for her, but he never could do a thing. "They always say, one day medical advancements…it's all bullshit really, and I've just reached a point that…I don't give a damn. I've stopped caring."

Charlotte was afraid of becoming like her birth father, afraid of becoming _that_ angry, _that_ fearful. She'd expressed these fears to her therapist, who told her that since she knew the cost, she likely knew better. She was shocked when Amy reached through the glass and put her hand over her own. She looked up and met her mother's tearful gaze. "Charlotte, don't ever be afraid…You know, adoption is the best way."

"I know. I just don't want to be like _he_ was."

"You won't be. I know you won't. You have a good family, a brother who appears to care deeply for you. You're going to be okay, I can see that."

"Y-Yeah…you're right…" She withdrew her hand and moved her arm around Toby, who smiled brightly at her. As long as they stuck together, everything would be just fine for all of them. She took a deep breath and looked directly into Amy's eyes. "I just…I wanted to tell you…I don't _hate_ you, because I know you were blind or something. I grew up angry, I grew up mean, I had to learn my place in the world as the daughter of a psychopath, but I dealt with it. You know something? These mental issues…I can beat them. I know they're genetic, some of these things I have, but I think everything will be okay. I don't know…I hope so…but I forgive you. I don't know if I'm ready to see you when you're let out, but yeah…I don't want those memories to shape me."

"Good. I'm proud of you. I'm proud of both of you…" Amy drew in a slow breath and closed her eyes. Her thin fingers curled into her hands. "When I'm let out, I just want to live out the rest of my life in peace. I'm thinking of moving to Hawaii or somewhere nice. I'm not going to bother them, PJ, Gabe, or even April."

"It might be for the best," Toby said with a frown and a heavy heart. None of them seemed to want to talk about her. "They've moved on, but I'm not sure any of them would be ready to see you again."

"No, this is for the best. I'm just glad they've had successful lives. I really am."

Everyone was happy, so it was agreed that she wouldn't darken their lives by showing up. After the visitation, Toby and Charlotte left with heavy hearts but chipper spirits. Their outlook on life hadn't changed much, but at the same time, the conversation with the woman had a profound effect on the both of them.

Charlotte would never let her mental problems, or her anger get the best of her. She had ways to remain calm, had ways to focus on the important things in life, and that was exactly what she was going to do. She would let go of those memories and do the best she could to live life to its fullest every day, smiling because she was _alive_.

Toby would go back with honesty of what went on, his mom and father would be happy to know. He still loved them because they raised him, it never mattered that he was adopted, but he wanted them to know that seeing his birth mother indeed had a good effect on him. He swore also to always be there for his sister when she needed him, to help her stay strong and never falter. Sometimes before, he wanted to avoid her just due to some of those depressing thoughts she had, but not anymore.

From this day forward, they were going to let go of the past, both in their own ways, and move on with their lives. To be happy, like the rest in their families, no matter what troubles lay ahead. Of course, most of all, they would be _honest_. Never again would anyone have reason to be dishonest. For the smallest lie can turn into a bigger lie, and that lie can snowball out of control until everyone affected by it, and anything that snowball of lies touch, are destroyed and turned to dust.

At least fifty years ago, one man went insane with fear and irrational anger. He took an innocent woman and dirtied that innocence, blinding her. His anger and the lies he spewed ran out of control, and eventually he found himself brought to his knees by those very same lies. The lives of everyone he touched had been affected and changed harshly, to a point that even a three year old child would grow up with inherited and developed mental issues. Now, however, everyone had regained control of their lives, and they could be happy once again, without fear of certain doom hanging over their heads.

For Toby and Charlotte it came down to polar opposites, but they both saw a choice. For Charlotte, she could let her anger steer her onto a path of self destruction and destroy everyone around her. For Toby, he could choose to be weak and avoidant, letting his own sister walk all over him. Or they could work together, a strong brother helping his sister to face her own fears and to gain control of her own life, and a sister to help her younger brother follow his dreams and allow the both of them to be the best they could be.

After today, they would opt for that third option. For that was the power of Yin and Yang, to come together and be something great. A catalyst bringing peace into their lives, and the lives of those they loved. For the nightmares, the trauma and the fears were long gone. Amy Duncan could live her life, as could everyone else, without any gloom hanging over their heads.

* * *

Well, it has been a long, but fun road. I'm glad I was able to entertain you with this, and I hope you'll check out my other works as we go along ^_^. For instance, Witness Protection, you don't _technically_ need to know the show, it's bound to be even greater and much better than even Lies was. I'm going to miss this story, I will, but I'm glad to see it completed, because it's just another legacy. I hope you enjoyed this final chapter ^_^


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